78 abandoned buildings demolished

The old and abandoned buildings in various parts of the city were demolished as part of a campaign to get rid of structures that distort the beauty of the city.

“Buildings demolished in the Abu Dhabi city included 10 commercial buildings, 33 residential villas, eight government buildings and 27 porta cabins, all of which had been abandoned for long time. These buildings ruined the aesthetic outlook of the city and became incompatible with the urbanisation drive and high-class tourist facilities,” said Ahmed Fadil Al Mazrouie, Director of External Centres at the municipality.

Moreover, he added, the buildings caused inconvenience to residents due to the accumulated dust, waste and weeds as well as the proliferation of insects and rodents that affected the health and comfort of the residents.

The inspections proved that these buildings were no longer fit for accommodation and their owners were notified, he said, adding that the move conforms to the vision of the municipality to ensure a superior living experience and a sustainable environment for the residents.

Al Mazrouie further explained: “The municipality studied the project from all health, social, economic and aesthetic perspectives and measured the harm resulting from the existence of these buildings. The decision to remove the building was taken to realise two major objectives, the first is to get rid of the unpleasant view of these buildings, and the second is to invest on these unused spaces which no longer generate any sort of return to the city or owners.

“The municipality had earlier served notices to owners of those buildings to remove them and offered them ample opportunity to take action, and many of them responded and removed their abandoned villas.

However, some owners ignored these notices and accordingly the municipality tasked private companies to demolish those buildings and remove the debris at the cost of their respective owners.

The demolition process is always coordinated with entities concerned with utility services and infrastructure as per the legal procedures in place.”

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