Urban movement growth in Qamishli, dozens of building permits are behind the capacity of workers
Qamishli – North-Press Agency
Ibrahim Ibrahimi
In the last three years, the city of Qamishli has witnessed an increase in the construction sector and developmental achievements, where reconstruction movement in 2019 has exceeded an unprecedented level in the city’s history. Thus, employment opportunities for construction workers have increased at high prices, while construction work exceeds the capacity of the city’s workers.
Raman Othman, construction worker from the city of Qamishli, told North-Press: “The wages of construction works are generally high, because the construction movement has covered the whole city”. Although there are many construction workers in the city, but they are “not enough for the job market”, Othman said.
In spite of the years of war in the country, the migration of the population from the city, and the daily threats against the region by Turkey, construction movement in the city of Qamishli has exceeded the level of previous years, even afore the crisis years.
Official statistics
According to the statistics of the municipality of the western part of Qamishli, about 500 contractors are currently working in the city.
Engineer Abdulahad Isac, the co-head of the western part municipality of Qamishli, told North-Press that the city of Qamishli is witnessing “tremendous population growth”, as well as the great displacement movement of other governorates Tiwari the city of Qamishli.
He added that the number of building permits granted by the municipality of the western part of Qamishli, has reached 180 building permits since early this year.
Regarding the ability of citizens to buy houses at high prices, Isac said: “There is a demand for buying houses, as citizens have money”.
“If I do not have the cash, how can I buy a house of which the prices range between 50-30-20 million SYP?” Isac wondered.
According to the engineer Abdelahad Isac, the money which the citizens possess, “part of which comes from abroad, and other parts from the inside as the city is witnessing a notable working movement”.
Prices of building materials
Despite the rise of the prices of building materials, affected by fluctuations in the exchange rate of the Syrian pound against the dollar, construction works in the city of Qamishli continue.
In this regard, Hamza Meshal, director of a building materials factory in Qamishli said that the price of a meter of white sand has risen to 5,000 SYP, after it was 4,000 SYP.
While the price of a meter of fine sand has risen from 9,000 to 10,500 SYP, as well as the price of one piece of brick from 170 to 195 SYP.
Qamishli municipality grants building permits for buildings of three, four and five floors, depending on the ground soil of each building area.
Whereas violation tickets are issued against buildings without permits from the municipality in Qamishli, which has reached 30 buildings in 2019, according to the mayor of the municipality of western part of Qamishli.