Efforts are underway to push for a significant policy shift that could see residents in Bahrain’s newly-urbanised areas receiving vital infrastructure services and public facilities without having to wait for years. At present, the Housing and Urban Planning Ministry mandates that at least 50 per cent of any residential development must be inhabited before services such as roads, lighting, public transport, schools, clinics, parks and sewage systems are set up. Municipal leaders believe this policy is outdated and leads to prolonged suffering, especially for families who are among the first to move into new areas, often having to endure years of isolation and lack of basic amenities.
