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Over 5,000 access cards issued for Sharjah parks

SHARJAH — A large number of people were issued access cards for parks in their respective residential areas in Sharjah yesterday.

The regulation that makes it mandatory to have the access card to gain entry to residential parks was introduced by Sharjah Municipality and will be enforced today across 28 residential parks in the emirate.

Abdullah Al Amri, Director-General of Sharjah Municipality, and top officials from various sections yesterday visited several parks including the Al Nasseriya and Maysaloon Parks to ensure that the staff there are well prepared for implementing the regulation.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Al Amri said that the municipality has issued free subscription cards to families for all public parks in residential areas to prevent access by unwanted visitors, after a series of complaints were lodged by families informing authorities of disturbances due to presence of strangers.

The civic body will continue to issue the cards at specific offices for all parks. People are also welcome to have their cards issued at the municipality, he said.

More than 5,000 of the cards have been issued so far by the municipality to families wishing to access neighbourhood parks. He added that to apply for the free cards, residents have to provide the municipality with a tenancy contract to prove they are residents of Sharjah. Members who misuse the subscription card will face a fine of Dh500.

Saad Mahfouz, a resident who had lined up to apply for a card for his family, said: ''I live in Al Majaz and my family likes to spend time in the evening at the Al Majaz Park. I like the decision of the municipality as it limits access to residential parks only to the residents of the area. It makes us feel secure as we don't have to worry about the children and their mothers while spending time in the park.''

Meanwhile, the civic body has conducted maintenance and improvement works in 57 parks. New parks are being constructed in line with the instructions of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.

Khadim bin Butti, Assistant Director-General of Human Resource and Administration, said that the municipality completed training the first batch of female supervisors to be appointed in the parks. The batch started working yesterday.