Subscription-good housing

Ministry of Municipalities and Housing Leads Initiatives to Improve the Urban Landscape and Enhance Road Safety in Cities

The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing continues to implement a comprehensive set of initiatives aimed at raising road safety standards and improving road quality by addressing elements of visual distortion that affect the clarity of the urban landscape and traffic flow within cities. These efforts form part of the Ministry’s commitment to enhancing quality of life and building safer, more organized urban environments. The initiatives focus on addressing field-level elements that have a direct impact on driver behavior and pedestrian safety. Municipalities have commenced work that includes painting sidewalk barriers, rehabilitating ground markings to improve their visibility, and repairing potholes and damaged road sections, all of which contribute to enhancing lane clarity and improving the commuting experience. The work also includes reorganizing speed bumps and adjusting their placement in accordance with approved national standards, rehabilitating deteriorated sidewalks, and addressing concrete barrier locations to reduce visual clutter and enhance traffic safety for drivers. Efforts further extend to addressing behaviors associated with the unregulated use of roads, including curbing unauthorized parking on vital traffic lanes and removing damaged vehicles from public areas, as these create obstacles that affect road readability and safe decision-making while driving. The Ministry affirms that improving the urban landscape is a fundamental pillar in raising road safety standards, as the regularity and clarity of road elements help reduce potential risks and boost confidence among road users. The Ministry noted that it is working in collaboration with municipalities to integrate field efforts with community awareness, based on the principle that the urban landscape is a shared responsibility requiring active community participation. In this context, the Ministry has made direct reporting channels available for observations related to road quality and visual distortions through the “Baladi” platform and the municipal hotline 940, enabling community members to contribute to identifying issues and tracking their resolution through organized procedures. This integration between institutional efforts and community participation enhances response efficiency and raises the level of organization within cities. These initiatives are part of a comprehensive program undertaken by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing to develop road infrastructure and improve the urban landscape directly linked to user safety, reflecting the Ministry’s commitment to building more livable cities and enhancing the sustainability of the urban environment and daily quality of life for residents.

Ministry of Municipalities and Housing Launches the Second Edition of the “Bastat Khair Saudi Arabia 2026” Initiative Across the Kingdom

The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has launched the second edition of the “Bastat Khair Saudi Arabia 2026” initiative, taking place during the holy month of Ramadan in partnership with regional municipalities. The initiative is part of the efforts of the Street Vendors Support and Empowerment Team at the Ministry to regulate the activities of street vendors and empower them by providing approved sales locations that enhance the quality of practice and improve the visitor experience, in support of the objectives of improving the urban landscape and quality of life in the Kingdom’s cities. The Ministry explained that the initiative is being rolled out with five locations per municipality, targeting up to 350 sales outlets per municipality. At least two locations in each municipality are designated for the sustainability track, ensuring continued operation of these sites beyond Ramadan and supporting the transition of the initiative from a seasonal activity to an organized, scalable, and sustainable model. The Ministry noted that the second edition is built on organizing sales locations in accordance with clear requirements and standardized operating criteria that contribute to raising compliance levels within approved sites and enhancing safety for vendors and visitors, alongside the implementation of continuous field inspections to ensure adherence to regulatory and health requirements. The Ministry affirmed that the initiative contributes to enhancing the civilized image of licensed stalls as an organized model that reflects city identity and improves the overall urban scene. This is achieved by unifying visual identity elements within the sites while respecting the local character of each region, thereby providing more sustainable economic opportunities for participants and opening a gradual pathway for transitioning from unregulated activities to a formal practice within clear regulatory frameworks. This, in turn, contributes to income stability, improved service quality, and enhanced reliability of the experience. The Ministry indicated that site selection for the initiative follows criteria related to location vitality and suitability for population density, proximity to public destinations such as parks, public squares, and waterfronts, availability of essential services, and long-term regulatory feasibility to ensure smooth traffic flow and clear operational and oversight pathways. Participant selection also takes into account compliance with regulatory and health requirements, clear definition of the activity, and a high level of commitment. The first edition of the “Bastat Khair Saudi Arabia 2025” initiative saw the participation of 1,732 vendors and attracted approximately 814,000 visitors, in addition to achieving a sustainability rate of 30% after the initiative’s conclusion and recording satisfaction levels of 90% among both participants and visitors. These results reflect the initiative’s economic and social impact and support the Ministry’s direction toward developing an organized and sustainable model for empowering street vendors across the Kingdom.

Ministry of Municipalities and Housing and the Saudi Water Authority Strengthen Oversight of Water Leakages — SAR 3,000 Fine for Flooding Roads

The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing and the Saudi Water Authority continue their joint efforts to address water overflow and leakage incidents and reduce road flooding, as part of an integrated oversight framework aimed at improving the urban landscape and enhancing field response efficiency in the Kingdom’s cities. The two entities clarified that Article 57 of the Water Law assigns the Saudi Water Authority responsibility for detecting water overflow and leakage incidents as well as breaks in water and sewage networks. The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, on the other hand, is responsible for monitoring cases of road flooding and water pooling that directly affect the urban environment and public safety, ensuring clarity of roles and expediting remediation procedures. They affirmed that this integration contributes to reducing environmental and urban damage and addressing visual distortions caused by water flowing beyond property boundaries, from internal networks and water tankers, and from breaks in water or sewage networks—all of which are among the primary causes of water pooling and road flooding. The Ministry and the Authority noted that water flowing beyond property boundaries is classified as a form of visual distortion and a municipal violation requiring immediate remediation. They indicated that the approved regulations stipulate a fine of up to SAR 3,000 when such overflow causes road flooding or water pooling, along with an obligation for the offender to promptly remove the violation and address its causes. The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing and the Saudi Water Authority highlighted the implementation of continuous field inspection rounds to detect such cases and address them in accordance with regulations, thereby enhancing compliance and raising the level of public safety and urban environment quality. The Ministry and the Authority called on community members to engage with the unified reporting channels through the “Baladi+” application via the “Snap and Send” service, as well as through the Saudi Water Authority’s website. They emphasized that early reporting contributes to faster remediation and prevents the escalation of damages, while strengthening the community partnership in maintaining an organized and attractive urban environment. These efforts are part of the initiatives of the “Ajmal Mudun” Committee, which aims to regulate the urban environment and enhance integration among the relevant authorities in enforcing regulations, in support of urban sustainability and the improvement of quality of life in the Kingdom’s cities.