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Abu Dhabi: More houses will be built in the Western Region, an improved road network and better municipal services are also in the pipeline, according to the five-year municipal strategic plan unveiled on Thursday.
It also aims to put the region on the world tourism map. "We plan 2,400 villas in three major cities in the region," a senior official told Gulf News.
"About 800 each will be built in Madinat Zayed, Gayathi and Sila," said Khalifa Al Mansouri, executive director of area services at the Western Region's Municipality.
"Commercial buildings will also be built to meet the demands of new residents who are attracted to the region to work or set up businesses," he said.
The Strategic Plan for 2008 to 2012 aims to develop and revamp infrastructure to international standards and develop a network of integrated government service centres all over the vast region. The five-year plan sets out priorities such as sustainable urban development, improving services by outsourcing and encouraging public- private partnerships and developing the Municipality's national workforce. "We are planning more roads in the cities," said Al Mansouri.
Investment
The municipality will further promote the outsourcing of services and the use of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in appropriate sectors, said Humood Al Mansouri, general manager of the Western Region Municipality who announced the strategy at Madinath Zayed in the Western Region.
The Government is planning large and beneficial investment for this part of Abu Dhabi through the Western Region Development Council and the Tourism Development and Investment Company to develop economic and tourism activities in the Western Region.
Sir Bani Yas Island and the Qasr Al Sarab resort near Liwa are two of the flagship tourism projects that are designed to value the natural assets of the region, create successful businesses, put the Western Region on the global tourism map and reverse the migratory flow that emptied the region in the 1980s and 1990s.
"We are delighted to see Abu Dhabi heading west again," said Humood Al Mansouri, General Manager of Western Region Municipality.
The centres for integrated government services allow residents to access more than 11 government and public services in four cities of the region, saving long trips to Abu Dhabi City or Madinat Zayed.
TAMM centres (Centre for Integrated Services) offer local residents the chance to conduct their business with a wide range of organisations, such as paying an Etisalat bill, declaring their pension status with the Abu Dhabi Retirement Pensions and Benefits Fund, and finding out about health insurance.
They can access many government departments, such as the Nationality and Residence Administration, the Ministry of Labour, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Department of Planning and Economy.
The four existing centres in Madinat Zayed, Delma Island, Sila, and Gayati are handling an average of 12,000 transactions a month. Another centre is planned to be launched later this year in Liwa.
The outsourcing of services will not cause downsizing of staff strength, a senior official told Gulf News.
"We are attracting new talent to the municipality. Moreover we are trying to develop the municipality's national workforce," said Musallam Al Ameri, Executive Director of Support Services at the Municipality.
Aim: Improving services
Population of Western Region: 120,000 (Latest census)
Four priorities of the strategy
- Sustain urban development
- Improve services provided to residents and community
- Outsource and encourage Public Private Partnership
- Develop the Municipality's national workforce
Municipality created 2006
- The Western Region Municipality and Western Region Municipal Council were created in 2006 as a result of municipal restructuring in order to decentralise and improve municipal services in the Western region.
- The Western Region Municipality is responsible for delivering services to residents and coordinating with public and private contractors.
- It works very closely with another new entity, the Department of Municipal Affairs (DMA), which is in charge of establishing overall municipal policy and setting the municipal regulatory framework across the emirate.
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