Construction works resumption in Syria’s Kobani after year of stagnation
KOBANI, Syria (North Press) – Residents and contractors have resumed construction works in the city of Kobani, north Syria, since early 2021 following a stagnation lasted for more than a year.
Ramadan Hesseh, a contractor from Kobani, has recently started construction works although he got a building permit last year.
“But I did not start building then due to Turkish threat on Kobani and the security instability,” Hesseh said.
“Recently, and after our fears dissipated, we have started building,” he added.
The number of the granted building permits in 2020 reached 129, half of which were suspended, according to the Municipality administration.
Before the Turkish forces and the Turkish-backed armed opposition groups took control over Sere Kaniye (Ras al-Ain) and Tel Abyad, the number of the permits exceeded 500.
Early in November 2020, People’s Municipality in Kobani abstained from granting building permits due to violations in the works.
“In February 2021, we started granting the permits,” Shahda Muhammad, a supervisor for building permits in the municipality said.
Abdo Shekro, a carpenter from Kobani, said that construction works in the city are good but it did not solve the problem of stagnation in real estate trading.
Shekro attributed the reason to “the high exchange rate of the dollar which affected buying and selling.”
Last year, Kobani witnessed a decline in construction works and real estate trading, as most projects were suspended due to fears of Turkish threat to invade the area and the high cost of the construction supplies.