Kuwait’s Touristic Enterprises Company reiterated Saturday a ban on establishing commercial activities along the waterfront without a permit.

In a press statement, the government entity said any business, including food trucks or baqala trucks, retail shops and businesses offering bike rentals were “strictly forbidden” unless there was a valid contract with the company and the appropriate licenses were obtained from the competent official authorities. The company’s premises include the area spanning the Kuwait Towers until Al-Shaab.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many mobile businesses, mostly food trucks, have set up shop in parking lots overlooking the waterfront on the Arabian Gulf Street. Since the end of the pandemic, the company has been working to regulate the practice.

People on the company’s Instagram account were mostly in favor of the move. “It’s the best decision because the trucks take up three parking spots and make a lot of noise,” one person said.

Another asked for a mechanism to help business owners continue making money while preserving the beauty of the waterfront, suggesting that the government establishes kiosks and allows business owners to run them.

Touristic Enterprises Company had signed a contract to develop the waterfront and Blajat Beach in 2023. The 9.7-kilometer-long waterfront project will offer essential amenities for visitors, over 60 commercial and investment opportunities for local companies, various sports activities, swimming areas, a bicycle path, a jogging path, and a recreational area for children.

The aim of the waterfront development, which spans from the Yacht Club to Diyafa Village near Kuwait Towers, is to showcase the cultural and heritage aspects of Kuwait by providing year-round leisure activities and events. The vision is to reactivate the waterfront for the public with key zones that offer national events, green sustainability elements, cultural entertainment, and lifestyle retail activities, creating distinct active spaces.

The implementation of the waterfront development project is being carried out by SSH and Ahmadiah Contracting and Trading. Phase one of the project, which redeveloped the area from Green Island to the Kuwait Towers, was complete last March.

 

 

 

 

 

Kuwait Times