Saudi Gazette report

DAMMAM — Municipal inspects in Dammam temporarily shut down three service stations for violating regulations and their failure to improve their surrounding even after the grace period given to them earlier had ended.

The aim of the municipality in taking the action was to improve the level of services provided to the citizens, which is part of an ongoing campaign, officials said.

The head of central Dammam municipality, Abdullah Al-Shammari, said the gas stations that did not fulfill the condition of improving their look and this had forced the inspectors to shut them down temporarily. He said the municipality carried out many initiatives recently to improve services at gas stations.

A technical committee was formed to target violating gas stations in an effort to improve the services. They were given warnings and a grace period to improve their services and adhere to the municipality’s conditions, Al-Shammari said.

He added that the regulations of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs for the establishment of gas stations and service centers emphasize the need to comply with the requirements of architectural, construction, electrical, health, mechanical and security conditions. They are also supposed to take into account the requirements of people with special needs in terms of the gas station’s design.

They have to build separate bathrooms for males and females with regular water supply and sticking to hygiene, Al-Shammari said.

In addition, there should be separate prayer halls for both males and females. The management of the service stations is entirely responsible for cleaning the place.