Government | Sunday 1 February, 2015 9:31 am |

The Riyadh municipality has announced a plan to overhaul markets in the central business district and other areas, to create more jobs, attract investors and boost commerce.
The plan includes the development of markets for fruit and vegetables; fish, meat and poultry; second hand goods; and furniture. The aim is to ensure that traditional markets have basic services, adhere to health regulations and are maintained properly.

The municipality stated the developments must ensure that they conform to cultural and heritage requirements, so that they can attract tourists. The municipality plans to develop partnerships with various organizations to develop the markets.
The municipality stated that the markets must provide suitable services for beneficiaries, whether they are visitors, workers or tenants. It also plans to move the livestock market out of the city.

The municipality has already set up a database of 300 commercial markets in the city. It added that it planned to expand the camel market, in cooperation with several organizations in the city.

Meanwhile, health officials, assisted by the police, arrested 99 people at various stores for violating hygiene regulations and closed down more than 24 health facilities.
Municipal employees confiscated 267 kg of fish, meat and poultry not suitable for human consumption and seized 66 types of utensils unsuitable for cooking. There were 165 violations registered after 287 raids on stores across the city.
Inspectors also seized 23 mobile carts that provided food of unknown origin and confiscated 5,300 boxes of rotten fruit and vegetables.