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Dh35 million to improve Dubai beaches

Dubai - The project also includes improving the facilities at the fishermen's port.

Dubai Municipality announced plan to enhance maintenance of marine facilities and coastal protection for the next two years, a project that will cost Dh35 million.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and Chairman of Dubai Municipality has approved the project that will focus on adding pollution prevention barriers, swimming barriers and floating anchors.
Alya Al Harmoudi, Director of Environment Department at Dubai Municipality said UAE's exposure to the seasonal northerly storms lead to erosion of large amount of sand, which is estimated at 30,000 cubic meters per year, posing a threat to the residential, service and tourist infrastructures at the beach.
"Understanding this risk, the Municipality has pushed itself in the past to formulate plans for coastal protection and maintenance, which is still going on," said Al Harmoudi, quoting several examples that included restoration and development of Umm Suqeim beach, which was enriched with nearly 500,000 cubic meters of high-quality beach sand and protected it  with a number of coastal barriers.  
Al Harmoudi added that this project will start inspecting the state of the facilities at the sea and coastal areas such as wave barriers, sea buoys, barriers for safe swimming limits, protective barriers against pollution, sign boards and navigational aids and prepare periodic reports on the situation.
"The project also will include the installation of temporary and permanent means using rock or concrete and more environment-friendly means, such as beach nourishment with high quality sand to compensate for erosion and use of sandbags technology to help solidify the beach. During the project, the maintenance of the coastal facilities and repair of marine facilities and replacing the damaged parts will be carried out," she said.
A new beach was also developed in Al Mamzar Corniche and enriched with about 250,000 cubic meters of sand. The Sufouh Beach was also enriched with about 100,000 cubic meters of sand to protect the facilities overlooking it. Other works such as installing protective barriers against pollution and providing safe limits for swimming, and the development of marinas for boats and entrances to the beaches for people with special needs, as well as improving the facilities at the fishermen's port.
In the past three years, Dubai Municipality has spent more than Dh300 million for the restoration and development of public beaches in the emirate starting from Al Mamzar Creek to Dubai Marina.
- reporters@khaleejtimes.com