Tenants, who have been allotted stalls at the yet-to-be commissioned municipal market at the north Doha township of Umm Slal Ali, are seeking extension at their current location at the Doha Central Market as many of them are unable to find suitable accommodation in the new area.
Gulf Times has learnt that though the stall owners have no objection to move to their newly allotted shops in the Umm Slal Ali market, which is around 35km away from the Doha Central Market, they are frantically searching for workers' housing in the area.
Stall operators at the Doha Central Market are required to move to Umm Slal and other two markets coming up in Wakra and Sailiya once the facilities are ready. The operations of the Umm Slal market are all set to start, it is learnt.
A stall owner said he and his partners have been unsuccessfully searching for affordable accommodation at Umm Slal Ali over the past month.
Another tenant, who has his shop almost ready at the Souq Umm Slal at the Municipal Market, said he is also hunting for an accommodation for his workers in the area even as finishing touches are being given to his shop.
A retailer at the new market said that shopkeepers are planning to make a representation to the municipal authorities for granting plots to build accommodation for workers in the neighbourhood of the market.
A large number of buildings for workers of construction companies have come up in Umm Slal in the last three or four years on land leased from their local owners. It is estimated that there are around 35,000 workers of different nationalities, mainly Asian expatriates, in such accommodations.
It is learnt that the construction of the Labour City is currently underway in Umm Slal.
The shop operators also fear there would be a slump in their retail businesses owing to the location of the new market.
Some of the retailers are also working to ensure that they would be able to retain their regular customers such as operators of groceries and supermarkets, restaurants and hotels, by providing door deliveries in their newly acquired refrigerated vehicles.
Stall operators at the Doha Central Market are required to move to Umm Slal and other two markets coming up in Wakra and Sailiya once the facilities are ready. The operations of the Umm Slal market are all set to start, it is learnt.
A stall owner said he and his partners have been unsuccessfully searching for affordable accommodation at Umm Slal Ali over the past month.
Another tenant, who has his shop almost ready at the Souq Umm Slal at the Municipal Market, said he is also hunting for an accommodation for his workers in the area even as finishing touches are being given to his shop.
A retailer at the new market said that shopkeepers are planning to make a representation to the municipal authorities for granting plots to build accommodation for workers in the neighbourhood of the market.
A large number of buildings for workers of construction companies have come up in Umm Slal in the last three or four years on land leased from their local owners. It is estimated that there are around 35,000 workers of different nationalities, mainly Asian expatriates, in such accommodations.
It is learnt that the construction of the Labour City is currently underway in Umm Slal.
The shop operators also fear there would be a slump in their retail businesses owing to the location of the new market.
Some of the retailers are also working to ensure that they would be able to retain their regular customers such as operators of groceries and supermarkets, restaurants and hotels, by providing door deliveries in their newly acquired refrigerated vehicles.
