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Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi authorities will not tolerate any noise or disturbance that affects the general public and will take firm action to stem its sources, senior Municipality and Police officials told Gulf News on Tuesday.
In an interview, Khalfan Sultan Al Nuaimi, Director of the Building Permits Department at Abu Dhabi Municipality, said that the municipality has a zero tolerance policy on disturbance from night-time construction.
"The normal workday for construction is between sunrise and sunset or from 6am to 6pm," said Al Nuaimi. "However, some contractors seek permission to work extra hours or round the clock.
"They are granted permission on a case-by-case basis and on condition that they cause no disturbance and that no complaints are received from the public."
Al Nuaimi said that the Municipality receives complaints around-the-clock on the emergency number 993.
"In the event of any violation, the municipality cancels permission for night-time construction," he said. "This is a daily practice and many such permissions were cancelled."
Road safety
No fine is imposed on violators but the permit is cancelled if residents complain against noise pollution. The permission for night construction is conditional that contractors make sure construction does not make noise.
On his part, Major Hussain Al Harithi, Head of the Traffic Engineering and Road Safety section at the Traffic Department, said permission was also required if these constructions affect road safety.
The officials were responding to Gulf News queries after several complaints were received from its readers against construction noise at night.
Some residents in Abu Dhabi are facing sleepless or disturbed nights because of round-the-clock construction and noise pollution. Residents told Gulf News they complained to the municipality and the police over "unbearable noise pollution", only to be told that contractors got permissions for night-time construction.
The residents were unanimous that the municipality has a duty to residents who demand the right to undisturbed sleep.
Contact
Complaint number for night construction in Abu Dhabi: 993
How bad is the problem of night construction? Have you suffered any serious health damage because of it? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com or fill in the form bellow to send your comments.
Your comments
It?s been an year since we shifted to Qassimiya (Sharjah) and there is always been at least 1 building under construction. The noise of the machines is disturbing and makes putting babies to sleep a nightmare. What with all the stress of waking up early morning to battle the traffic this is an additional and definitely un-welcome inconvenience. The building opposite is a huge project and God help us until it finishes.
Samira
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: October 08, 2008, 11:11
We stay in Dubai and we have new building coming up opposite to our house. We are so disturbed as they are working in the nights, finally we were fed up and 2days back 12.30 in the night we called the police. They came to stop the work and after they left again work started and when we called them again to inform this we got an answer from police as they have permission to work from Dubai municipality in the nights and if we want we can complaint to them. I mean this is too bad till 2.00am in the morning we can't sleep and we are working next morning. And this should be considered seriously.
Rachna
Dubai,UAE
Posted: October 08, 2008, 09:18
I am living near the Beach Rotana Hotel. Sometimes it is really bad during the night when construction starts at 03.00 in the morning "pushing" the concrete columns for the new bridge. Beside that, the heavy trucks are passing my building in one minute after the other with such high speed that they have to hit the break very hard at the round-about. My night sleep is reduced to 4 hours. Of course, during day I am sometimes very tired and face difficulties to concentrate
B. Peetz
Abu Dhabi,United Arab Emirates
Posted: October 08, 2008, 05:48
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