Muscat: Cutting into mountains and digging roads without proper permission from Muscat Municipality is a punishable offence that will attract fines.
In its website, the civic body states, “Any activity that will harm the environment and spoil the urban character of the city is not permissible. Cutting into a mountain or carrying out digging work under roads need approval from the municipality.”
The statement, issued on the basis of its regulations (212/2017), warned that violators will have to pay a fine of RO 2,500.
“A fine of RO 500 will be added if any other provisions are violated. If the violation is not corrected within ten days, the licence of the contractor will be considered revoked,” it said.
While reaffirming its responsibility of providing protection to people from falling rocks and landslides, the municipality said, the work has to be carried out by an approved contractor, under the supervision of an accredited consultant in accordance with the licence issued by the municipality.
“Within 30 days after receiving the application with all required documents, the municipality decides whether to grant permission or not,” it said.
The mechanism of obtaining licence for drilling asphalt roads will be in accordance with the location of the street and the nature of the soil and the service to be extended.
The regulations also stated that cutting into mountains or digging roads will not be allowed between sunset and sunrise. However, on Saturdays it can be carried out only after obtaining prior approval from the municipality.
Also the contractor, who is registered with Muscat Municipality, needs to take an undertaking that the applicant will carry out repair works if asphalted roads are damaged.
The contractor is obliged to provide a certified bank guarantee of RO 30,000 to the municipality for a period of two years in case of spiral digging under a main dual carriageway of two lanes; RO 7,500 will be added for every extra lane.
A consultant must submit a request to the municipality to remedy the situation if the work damages buildings around the project.
Since this type of excavation causes accumulation of debris, the municipality stated that a letter confirming the disposal of waste should be submitted when requesting the refund of the bank guarantee.
The consultant and the contractor, depending on the circumstances, will be liable for any incident caused by the work implemented and for the damages caused to individuals, public and private property during the implementation of the project.
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