Council of Ministers fast-tracks six labor cities for Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh

• The urgently needed labor cities will be located in Al-Sabiya, Al-Salmi Road, North Al-Mutlaa, Kabd, South Sabah Al-Ahmad Residential City, and South Al-Khairan Residential City.

• The Council of Ministers has ordered land allocation for labor cities, a plan from years ago, to support Jleeb’s transformation into a model area.

• The Jleeb area, which is about eight square kilometers in size, is inhabited by around 266,000 people, with Kuwaitis making up only 1.5% of the population.

As part of the state’s plan to address issues in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh, the Council of Ministers emphasized the need to expedite the construction of six labor cities to clear the area and implement development projects, according to Al Qabas newspaper.

The Council of Ministers has tasked Kuwait Municipality with transferring the ownership of six land sites for the establishment of labor cities. This move aims to address the chronic issues in the region, which has become a hotspot for disorder and irregularities, despite the efforts of the Ministry of Interior and other state agencies to manage the situation.

According to a recent government report obtained by Al-Qabas newspaper, the urgently needed labor cities will be located in the following areas: Al-Sabiya, Al-Salmi Road, North Al-Mutlaa, Kabd, South Sabah Al-Ahmad Residential City, and South Al-Khairan Residential City.

The Council of Ministers has ordered the necessary measures to allocate land for the establishment of these labor cities, ‘a plan that was drawn up years ago but has not yet been implemented.’ This move aims to support the plan to modify the demographic composition and transform Jleeb into a model area. The Council also decided to transfer the responsibility for the six sites to the Ministry of Finance and the General Residential Care Corporation.

While seven concerned parties warned of worsening problems in the region, they stressed the need for radical solutions, noting that evacuation is necessary to implement the plan to modify the demographic composition and address issues such as the slum, eroded infrastructure, and ongoing encroachments on electricity and sewage extensions.

According to the government report, the Council of Ministers reviewed a letter from the Expropriation Administration, which confirmed that it has been waiting since 2022 for the reconstitution of the Jleeb Valuation Committee to provide compensation for the expropriated vouchers.

The concerned authorities noted that the implementation of the labor cities plan has been delayed despite available financial resources. The Jleeb area, which is about eight square kilometers in size, is inhabited by approximately 266,000 people, with Kuwaitis making up only 1.5% of the population.

Addressing Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh’s current situation

The Council of Ministers reviewed the Public Services Committee’s recommendation on addressing the current situation in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh. This included examining the Minister of Municipality’s letter dated September 10, 2023, which outlined the obstacles in the area and the proposed alternatives and recommendations.

The review also considered the joint committee’s report on the situation, along with the steps taken by the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Finance, and the Public Institution for Social Security, including meetings and correspondence.

While seven concerned parties warned of worsening problems in the area, they stressed the need for radical solutions, noting that evacuation is necessary to implement the plan to modify the demographic structure and address the issues of disorder, eroded infrastructure, and ongoing encroachments on electricity and sewage extensions.

According to the government report, the Council of Ministers reviewed a letter from the Expropriation Department, which confirmed that it has been waiting for the reconstitution of the Jleeb Valuation Committee since 2022 in order to provide compensation for the expropriation of the plots.

Why the delay?

The report mentioned thirteen recommendations to address the situation in the region that have not been implemented for years, noting that delayed solutions exacerbate the problems.

The Council of Ministers also reviewed a letter from the Ministry of Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy, which included statistics on the services provided by the Street Lighting Department and the plans for the region. The letter also contained a table detailing the services of the Electricity Distribution Networks Department, including the monitoring of Farwaniya Governorate’s electricity distribution networks, and stated that the Ministry has high-voltage services and existing underground cables.

Violations and infringements

The Council also reviewed a letter from the Ministry of Public Works dated November 28, 2023. The letter included the Ministry’s statement on the deterioration of the sewage network, rainwater systems, and roads in the Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh area. It also addressed violations and encroachments by residents, which have exceeded the network’s capacity for sewage and rainwater drainage.

The ministry stated that its services in the Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh area cover the following: internal roads, sewage lines and manholes, and rainwater network lines and manholes.

Regarding the condition of the road infrastructure, the last maintenance work on the region’s roads was conducted in 2010. Since then, emergency repairs and treatments have been performed throughout the year due to the poor condition of the roads and infrastructure networks.

Authorities warn of growing disorder and infrastructure risks

State authorities have renewed their warning that the area could become a hotspot of disorder with eroded infrastructure and encroachments on electricity and sewage extensions.

The Housing Authority explained that it is coordinating with the Chinese side to establish workers’ cities in the Subiya and South Jahra locations.

Regarding the sewage network, the Ministry of Public Works has prepared a tender to implement infrastructure works for the Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh region as part of a consultative agreement to study, design, and supervise the implementation of these works.

Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh in numbers

• Population: 266,000
• Area: Eight square kilometers
• Kuwaiti residents: 1.5% of the population
• Average occupancy: Six people per room for single accommodation

Five main sectors in the region

Valuation Committee: The Council of Ministers reviewed a letter regarding the management of expropriation for public benefit. The letter stated that the matter had not been presented to the Valuation Committee to provide compensation for the expropriation of plots in the Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh area. This was due to the conclusion of the work of the Valuation Committee formed by the Council of Ministers’ decision dated December 26, 2022. The letter noted that the topic would be presented to the new committee as soon as it is formed.

Key recommendations

1. Transfer the subordination of lands allocated to workers’ cities to “residential” and “financial.”
2. Submit a report to the Council of Ministers detailing the procedures and timetable for handing over the lands.
3. Assign the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Housing to prepare plans and studies related to the establishment of workers’ cities.
4. Specify the measures taken to complete the cities and provide the Council of Ministers with a detailed report within two months.
5. Find urgent solutions to address the imbalance in the demographic structure.
6. Improve the security and traffic situation and address existing violations.
7. Develop the main and internal road network and modernize the infrastructure network.
8. Utilize plots 19 and 20, which were previously acquired, to provide residential care.
9. Tighten security controls through cooperation between the Ministry of Interior and the concerned authorities.
10. Organize the Jleeb area in all aspects and urgently develop the infrastructure.