Rents & Reality -Today's Gulf Times
By Geechee_bu •
| Workers find ‘room’ at the top as rents go through the roof | ||
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By Sarmad Qazi
SKY-HIGH rents and lack of living space are turning Doha’s old town into a slum with makeshift rooms stacked on top of residential buildings. “Obscenely high rents, food expenses and other living costs do not allow some of us to live in an air-conditioned comfort. And there are children and families back home that need to be fed, so this is just a tiny inconvenience,” he said. “Any newcomer or even a visitor wanting to sleep over is forced to rest on the roof,” said Ahmadzai, who has been in Qatar for three decades. The visitors, usually friends or relatives, come to Doha during the weekends from far-flung areas such as Shahaniya or Al Khor and because “they like to hang out for at least one day in the week, most sleep on the roof”. Pointing towards Jaleel, who has just arrived in Qatar less than a month ago, Ahmadzai said: “He’s been promised QR800 a month for driving a dump truck and paid QR10,000 to an ‘unscrupulous’ agent back in Kohat (Pakistan). How’s he going to find a room in Doha that is affordable? For now, he’s just been bunking on the roof.” When asked how much is he paying for the ‘temporary shelter’, Jaleel said: “They are not asking for money right now. But with my first pay, I will chip in with whatever I can for using the house’s toilet and kitchen.” Another ‘tenant’, Mohamed, said: “Two years ago I asked the owner of this ‘house’ to allow me to build an additional room and after his approval went ahead with the ‘brick and mortar operation’ with my own money. “But once the room was ready, he increased the monthly rent of the whole place from QR1,200 to QR3,500.” Mohamed said that complaints about high rents would lead to eviction threats. “But where will we go?” he asked. And Mohamed is not keen about living in a room filled with ‘bunk-beds’ because “they offered little privacy”. “That’s not an option. What if the person on the bed above mine keeps moving all night? How am I going to get a sleep? I would rather go and sleep under the open sky, regardless of how humid it is,” Mohamed said. Rahman, a long-time Doha resident, had an explanation why some people take to living on the roof. “Most of us have houses in northern Pakistan next to snow-capped mountains. Those who are new to Doha suffer from severe allergic reactions, thanks to the dust, and would not want to infect their room-mates,” said Rahman. The Northern Areas of Pakistan are the second most glaciated place on Earth after the North Pole. “We do seek medical attention but air-conditioners or even fans trigger reactions in newcomers. It’s best for them to sleep on the roofs. Nobody actually forces them. I’ve myself slept on the roof in torrid heat during winters and rain,” Rahman remarked.
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75% of families also in doha (Who are coming form other country as workers)Suffering by this problam. too much families leaving as sharing basis. Every morning they are facing baath room broblam.they cant go out side because house owner given time to shuld come befroe
Apparently, also to discourage people, no else would influx here after publishing such a pathetic saga of those men...
Be watchful to every contract everyone is making prior to departure... be specified... or else... the more and more people will experience similar event that are already been a lesson for few...
~~~ We could learn a lot from crayons; some are sharp and some are dull, some are pretty, some have weird names and all are of different colors, but they all have to learn to live in the same box.~~~
Britexpat....I read that some of them can't even afford to "rent" a bathroom and they use the ones in mosques instead!!!!
"What makes you different can make all the difference in the World"
I heard of cases in Dubai, where workers are sleeping in their cars and "renting" a bathroom to have a shave and shower in.
Sadness that people have to resort to these means. This problem is now becoming evident in more and more countries worldwide.
Motivation is when your dreams put on work clothes.
- Ben Franklin
Few days ago I was walking through backstreets of 'National' and 'Sofitel' area. It totally reveals other side of Doha. Dirtiness every where, pits on the roads, old buildings with life threatening civil construction and poor people wandering & living around.
what going on in this world..how to stop this and help these people
GOD will ask them who r not paying these people on time
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"Imagination is more important than knowledge"
why can't the government see this as their responsibility. my deepest symphaty to these people.
GOD help them. can't we do something about it??
Everybody is right everybody is wrong it depends where you stand.
That is part of the problem what these people are facing.. the real problem is they are NOT getting paid as well.. If get paid once within several months, thats alot less as compare to what they have been promised.
Its such an irony that the companys here are paying above Qrs. 20K to some of the people, while the one who burns under the sun, suffers all the pain doesnt even get the minimum of his rights.
Never Ask for a SMILE..just GIVE it..