Services were cut off from dilapidated buildings in Jeddah's Al-Ruwaiss district on Tuesday

The Jeddah Municipality announced that it will begin implementing procedures to disconnect and remove essential services (electricity and water) from dilapidated buildings in the Al-Ruwaiss district , starting next Tuesday. This crucial step is part of the first phase, which includes 1,011 buildings identified and classified as posing an imminent threat to public safety.

Details of the procedures and the legal deadline

The municipality clarified that the General Directorate of Emergency and Crisis Management had completed all necessary regulatory procedures before resorting to disconnecting services. Owners of the targeted buildings were notified and given sufficient legal time to rectify their situations or vacate the buildings. Official demolition orders were issued for these properties by the Committee for Buildings at Risk of Collapse, due to the impracticality of restoration and their structural hazards.

Context of Jeddah city development and addressing informal settlements

This measure is not an isolated event, but rather part of a comprehensive and ongoing campaign that Jeddah Governorate has been witnessing for years to reorganize neighborhoods and address visual pollution. Al-Ruwaiss neighborhood is considered one of the oldest and most strategically located neighborhoods in Jeddah, and it has been the subject of several development studies aimed at improving the city's urban fabric. The municipality is working diligently to remove dilapidated buildings that have reached the end of their lifespan, which often lack even the most basic safety features and constitute hotspots for security and social risks, in addition to the danger of sudden collapse.

Strategic importance and quality of life goals

These steps are of paramount importance, extending far beyond mere demolition; they directly contribute to the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 , specifically the "Quality of Life" program. Removing dilapidated buildings contributes to:

• Enhancing public safety: Protecting lives and property from collapse accidents that may be caused by these old buildings.
• Improving the urban landscape: Eliminating visual pollution and creating a healthy and sustainable urban environment.
• Urban development: paving the way for future development projects befitting Jeddah’s status as the gateway to the Two Holy Mosques and a global tourist destination.

Continued coordination efforts

The Jeddah Municipality confirmed that the disconnection of utilities will be carried out in close coordination with relevant security and service agencies to ensure a smooth and safe process, paving the way for the actual demolition work to begin according to the approved timeline. The municipality emphasized that its inspection tours will continue to monitor any other buildings that may pose a danger in various neighborhoods of the city, stressing that the safety of residents and visitors is a red line that cannot be crossed.