Damascus-SANA
Damascus Governorate implements rehabilitation, maintenance and infrastructure development works for a number of public facilities, especially the old Damascus markets, in order to preserve its archaeological and architectural features, in addition to laying an asphalt shirt for a number of city streets.
Advanced stages of work have been completed in the rehabilitation works of Soroujia market by 90% after the completion of the installation of all the arches made of wood and iron located on the bearing walls of the roof built of old materials and the installation of the new roof over them while preserving its historical character, according to the director of supervision in the governorate, Engineer Hisham Al-Hamwi, who He referred to the implementation of the mud works over the shops using traditional materials (earth, milk and lime) after peeling the old mud and installing all the window blocks above the shops, which are made of wood according to a unified model.
The works also included, according to al-Hamawi, the excavation and cleaning of the stone arches above the shops and the installation of most of the iron shop fronts to be covered with wood according to a unified model that preserves the heritage of the market, indicating that the ornate iron arches (mandaloun) located above the doors will also be installed.
In his turn, the project supervisor from the General Company for Reconstruction and Development, Jihad Nicolas, said that the workshops are continuing their work, as the arch is being restored at the entrance to the market to restore it as it was with its historical landmarks. Electricity, telephone and sanitation, according to the clause concluded in the market rehabilitation contract.
Nicola pointed out that the works are being carried out in cooperation between the shop owners and the governorate, which is rehabilitating the infrastructure and construction, while the shop owners are installing the unified traditional wooden shop facades and the ornate arches (mantels) at their expense, in addition to the rehabilitation works inside their shops.
With regard to the rehabilitation works of Bab Sarija market, the Supervisory Director explained that the workshops are continuing with the work of rehabilitating the infrastructure, which began with the dismantling of the brick stone in the market and the implementation of a layer of reinforced concrete under the stone after carrying out the leveling work and brushing the lenticular layer and re-installing the loose and cleaned stone with compensation for the lost, in addition to the maintenance of the old sidewalks A new piece of basalt stone and basalt fringes, and redressing the losses, indicating that the percentage of works amounted to 50 percent of the beginning of the market, opposite the Zaid bin Thabet Mosque, noting that the workshops suffer from delays due to the heavy movement of citizens.
Regarding the rehabilitation work on the sidewalks and curbs on both sides of Khalid Bin Al-Waleed Street between Al-Hamwi, the workshops started the rehabilitation work, starting from Al-Mujtahid intersection to Al-Nasr divider, by dismantling and re-installing the interlock tiles and repairing the worn ones with an area of more than 7,000 square meters, indicating that there are several contracts that will be implemented. During the coming period, to rehabilitate the damaged sidewalks of a number of areas in the city within the governorate's plan to advance the service reality and preserve the aesthetics of the city's streets.
Al-Hamwi pointed out that the General Company for Building and Reconstruction is carrying out the rehabilitation works of the Soroujia and Bab Sarija markets, while the rehabilitation of sidewalks on Khalid Bin Al-Waleed Street is being implemented by the Public Housing Corporation, through contracts concluded with the governorate.
As part of its plan to advance the road situation in the city and its neighborhoods, the maintenance directorate’s workshops in the governorate are carrying out works to lay an asphalt shirt in several areas of the city, according to the director of maintenance engineer Ghassan Al-Khatib, indicating that the asphalting works include Bunduq lane in the Al-Qadam neighborhood and the street opposite the Electricity Club linking from Al-Fayhaa highway to the Barniyah roundabout. Al-Din and Maysaloon Street opposite the Salhia recruitment division and even Noura’s parking lot in Abu Rummaneh, in addition to restoration work on several streets in the Al-Mazzeh 86 and Jabal Al-Raz neighborhoods in Dummar.
Al-Khatib pointed out that the directorate, in cooperation with the Directorate of Traffic and Transport Engineering, is implementing a traffic solution in the Mezzeh area behind Dar Al-Baath, which is the implementation of hollows inside the sidewalk on Al-Waleed bin Abdul Malik Street to secure parking and keep traffic flowing.
