Muscat Municipality Prohibits Driving on Beaches, Parks

The rising number of people driving on beaches has become a cause of concern for the authorities. The Muscat Municipality has installed warning signs at several places against this.

The civic body is working in cooperation with the Municipal Council, ROP and walis to tackle this. Article 2 of the Local Order No 23/92 on the protection of public utilities of Muscat Municipality, prohibits any act that would harm the facilities of the municipality. Article 3 of the local order stipulates that driving cars and bikes in parks or on beaches is a violation which can attract a fine of not more than RO100 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two months.

Article 3 of the Local Order No 32/97 issued by Muscat Municipality also calls for the protection of public utilities of the municipality of Muscat and states: Without prejudice to the provisions of Article VI it is prohibited for any person - except the people authorised to - to do any of the following acts such as driving cars or riding motorbikes on public gardens, parks or on beaches.

Speaking to Muscat Daily Eng Badr bin Ali al Bahri, director general of Muscat Municipality in Seeb said, “The municipality has placed concrete barriers on some parts of the Seeb beach to prevent vehicles from entering there. This poses a risk to those walking on the beach especially to children.”

The Seeb directorate has put alert notices along the beach warning vehicle owners against the practice. Malik bin Hilal al Yahmadi, a member of the Municipal Council, said, “Riding bicycles and vehicles on public beaches is an uncivilised act that can harm marine life and visitors to the beach.”