City achieves milestone, protects government land, increases income, advances city improvements
Hopping on the Urban Development Wagon: THE KUWAIT MUNICIPALITY'S 2024 MAKEOVER
A whirlwind year for the Kuwait Municipality, steered by fresh faces and bold movements. The newly appointed Minister of Public Works and Minister of Municipal Affairs, Dr. Noura Al-Mashaan, wasted no time in steering the Municipal departments towards a modern, efficient, and sustainable future.
Kicking things off in May 2024, municipal departments dived headfirst into structural reforms, aligning their functions with the national development plan. Meetings became the norm as the department bigwigs huddled up to iron out the kinks and chart the course for change.
One of the key milestones came with the seminal municipal contract with the National Bank of Kuwait. Dr. Al-Mashaan supervised the agreement, which included the design, construction, maintenance, and beautification of a multi-story parking facility in East Block 7, along with the development of adjacent public squares, all courtesy of a generous bank donation.
To further empower citizens, Dr. Al-Mashaan amended regulations on construction standards for private and model residential buildings, allowing homeowners greater flexibility in designing homes tailored to their specific needs.
Enter Mr. Abdullatif Al-Mishari, Minister of Housing Affairs and Municipalities who ramped up the demolition campaign against illegal structures and encroachments in the southern desert regions. The media dubbed this the most extensive such operation in municipal history, extending through November and significantly reclaiming state lands.
The Municipality's transformation didn't stop there; it gunned for comprehensive development. The plan includes ongoing public awareness campaigns to encourage regulatory compliance, fostering healthy competition between governorates to improve service quality, enhancing geographic deployment of inspection teams to monitor violations, and introducing new cleaning contracts to raise environmental standards.
The Municipality's financial performance saw a remarkable leap, with electronic advertising licenses bringing in a whopping KD 5.36 million—a sixfold increase from previous figures. The strong cultural ties between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were further cemented with the establishment of the Imam Abdulrahman Al-Faisal House Museum, adding another feather to the region's cultural cap.
Highlights from the Municipality's campaigns this year included crackdowns on state property encroachments, inspections for structural deformations, and the removal of unauthorized event halls and advertisements. The Municipality also took the lead in cleaning initiatives on highways and beaches and cleared unregulated mobile vendor carts. Enforcement in private residential areas was also a focus.
The Kuwait Municipality's 2024 makeover displays its unwavering commitment to urban development, service quality, and preserving national heritage, all while promoting transparency, regulatory enforcement, and strategic partnerships.
Did you Know?- The Municipality's comprehensive development plan is geared towards modernization, regulatory enforcement, and infrastructure enhancement.- Over $6 billion is allocated for 2025-2026 infrastructure projects, including development for the Mubarak Al Khabeer Port.- The Municipality emphasizes the modernization of its action plan, with 10 key initiatives to streamline governance and improve service quality.- A dedicated project is focusing on enhancing urban services, establishing design guidelines, and strategic planning for Kuwait City’s development.- Over 3,300 residential units are under construction in Jahra City, with complementary infrastructure to be completed within three years.
- The multi-story parking facility in East Block 7 and the development of adjacent public squares were designed as part of the Kuwait Municipality's 2024 makeover, a project spearheaded by the National Bank of Kuwait's generous donation.
- To promote self-development and education, the Kuwait Municipality amended regulations to allow homeowners greater flexibility in designing homes tailored to their specific needs.
- In addition to infrastructure development, the Kuwait Municipality has shown a commitment to sports, leading clean-up initiatives on highways and beaches, clearing unregulated mobile vendor carts, and enforcing regulations in private residential areas.
- The Kuwait Municipality's comprehensive development plan, allocated over $6 billion for 2025-2026 infrastructure projects, includes initiatives for modernizing governance, improving service quality, and enhancing urban services in Kuwait City, as well as the construction of over 3,300 residential units in Jahra City.
