Kuwait Municipality plans to revamp parking, beautify public spaces

The Kuwait Municipality is taking steps to address the scarcity of parking spaces and the landscaping of sidewalks within Kuwait City by reorganizing regulations related to space usage in the areas of East, Mirqab, Salhiya, and Qibla.

The municipality is actively conducting studies to optimize underused spaces, aiming to alleviate the parking shortage and enhance the area’s aesthetic appeal. This initiative is crucial for improving the heart of Kuwait, which serves as the financial and commercial hub of the country.

The municipality, in collaboration with the private sector, is conducting studies to establish parking spaces as part of its broader vision to address the costs and challenges of parking and beautification projects. It is committed to developing and implementing policies that align with Kuwait’s traffic requirements, ensuring the design and provision of adequate parking spaces to keep pace with urban growth, population expansion, and the evolving business sector.

Moreover, the municipality also aims to enhance the beautification, development, and maintenance of parks and public squares, ensuring they reflect the country’s civilized character. This initiative involves preparing studies and plans in coordination with both public and private sector partners.

Kuwait Municipality plans to construct, complete, and maintain parking spaces adjacent to one of its plots, in line with approvals from the Municipal Council.

A private sector company has expressed its willingness to make a donation to design, implement, and oversee the construction, completion, and maintenance of a multi-story parking building, as well as the development and beautification of the squares adjacent to the state-owned land in the Sharq area. This initiative is in response to the Cabinet’s decisions, which approve accepting the private sector’s donation to carry out the project of constructing and maintaining the parking facility.

Recently, the Municipality showcased a parking project as part of a donation agreement to design, construct, complete, and maintain a multi-storey parking building on plot 7 in the East area, owned by the State of Kuwait. The project will also include cleaning and beautifying the surrounding areas, covering a total land area of approximately 12,222 square meters.

Additionally, the Municipality will design and implement entry and exit roads connecting the project to the adjacent main streets namely; Jaber Al-Mubarak Street, Khaled Bin Al-Waleed Street, and the internal street next to the site, opposite the existing Al-Shaab parking lot. Construction and infrastructure works related to the project will also be carried out.

Parking lot projects typically include a basement, a ground floor, and four additional floors, each with a floor area of one. In addition to the parking structure, the project will involve the development and beautification of the public spaces surrounding the land.

Municipality Conditions

The municipality requires that the multi-storey parking building be designed, constructed, and maintained by the private sector at its own expense, under the municipality’s supervision. The private sector entity must also adhere to the requirements and recommendations of the ministries of services and other relevant agencies as discussed in the Public Facilities and Services Subcommittee meeting, coordinating with them prior to implementation. The municipality emphasizes its commitment to incorporating modern technology in the design, construction, and operation of the parking spaces.

Moreover, the municipality is required to submit an approved traffic study from the General Traffic Department and the Master Plan Department before granting the necessary licenses. The private sector is also responsible for contracting an engineering office to design the project in accordance with the specified guidelines.

Subsequently, a specialized contracting company will be hired to carry out the work, with technical specifications and quantity schedules to be determined based on the final design. The project will be supervised by the engineering office contracted by the private sector, with the municipality team overseeing the implementation process, ensuring that the contractor adheres to the approved schedule, and reviewing reports issued by the consulting office.

The private sector is responsible for covering all costs associated with contracting the engineering office for the design and supervision of the project, as well as with the contracting company that will handle the project’s implementation. The municipality holds no liability in this regard. The contractor is required to confirm that they have reviewed all plans related to the required works and acknowledge their suitability for implementation.

Additionally, the contractor must commit to following the instructions issued by the consultant and the project follow-up committee, in accordance with the approved plans. If any issues arise related to the land, the contractor must promptly notify the municipality in writing, along with a statement on how the issue will be addressed.

The municipality has established a timeline for the design and implementation phase of the parking project, which spans 10 months starting from the date; the municipality approves the initial design. The engineering office must submit this design within 3 months of the contract signing.

The supervision and implementation period is set for 28 months, beginning when the contractor starts the implementation work after the tender has been awarded and the contract has been signed. This period includes 24 months for supervision and 4 months for inspection, operation, and final acceptance.

The contract tender period is a minimum of 3 months, commencing immediately after the approval of the regulatory and design plans, final specifications, and the acquisition of the necessary licenses. This tender period is not included in the supervision phase.

Source: Al Jarida