DUBAI - The Dubai Municipality has undertaken four projects, including the Dubai Central Vegetable and Fruits Market in Al Awir,
Al Nahda Women's Association in Al Hamriya, the Higher Institute of Legal and Judicial Studies in Al Garhoud and Higher Colleges of Technology at the University City of Al Ruwiya. The total cost of the projects is Dh300 million.
According to Engineer Abdurrahman Al Sharid, Director of the General Projects Department at the municipality, the Dh152.57 million central market is 98 per cent complete.
Some 87 per cent of the work of the Dhs20.57 million Dubai Women's Association has been completed, while 32 per cent work of the Dh15.22 million Higher Institute for Legal and Judicial Studies at Al Garhoud has been completed. The Dh111.33 million HCT building project is also halfway through.
Mr Al Sharid noted that work on the prestigious central vegetable market is expected to be over by the end of the next month, after which the existing vegetable market in Al Hamriya will be shifted to the new location.
He added that the new market would include retail and wholesale facilities and several service and administrative blocks. The new market will have seven blocks consisting of 284 outlets in all for the wholesale market, and four blocks consisting of 150 shops for vegetable, meat and fish outlets. It is designed to meet the requirements of the emirate's vegetables and fruits trade until the year 2012. Mr Al Sharid said each of the wholesale shops would have a total of four parking spaces for loading and unloading goods, while centralised refrigerators and warehouses would also be set up in the market. To streamline sales directly from trucks, a waiting area will also be provided for vehicles to queue up before entering the direct trading zone. The new market will have many public services and amenities, including a mosque, car service and fuelling stations, garbage collection areas, police station, a Civil Defence unit, post office, bank, supermarket, pharmacy, cafeteria, restaurants, labour accommodation, parking lots and a 100-room motel for truck drivers.
The move, Mr Al Sharid added, was part of the speedy development process taking place in Dubai. It showed the municipality's keenness in providing the best services to both the public as well as traders. He added that the location of the project was an ideal one for such a vast market since it was situated close to the first intersection of the Al Awir Road which through the Emirates Road links Dubai with Abu Dhabi and nothern emirates.
The HCT project at Al Ruwiya area of Dubai, where a new university city is being set up, is expected to be completed by July 30. Mr Al Sharid said the project involved several blocks of construction, including those for administration, teaching staff, library, sports facilities, services, and other necessary amenities.