Madinah Govenor Prince Faisal bin Salman approved measures to deal with illegal and cramped housing sites in residential neighborhoods inhabited by 17,000 migrant workers, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
He chaired a meeting of the main committee tasked with studying the housing conditions of migrant workers.
The committee endeavored to ease the overcrowding of 1,600 workers during the past week, allocating nearly 800 residential complexes for workers in Madinah. It also took action to address the problem of labor overcrowding in about 215 locations within residential neighborhoods by reconfiguring their housing sites, and moving about 3,000 workers to hotels or other sites.
These plans were implemented by seven field teams and more than 100 people working around the clock to visit labor sites and assess their situation.
Field committees have begun implementing corrective measures for labor housing through three stages, including assessing the housing situation from a health and environmental point of view and inspecting workers’ conditions in coordination with health authorities.
As part of the relocation plan, a number of hotels in the central area with a capacity of up to 3,000 people will be repurposed to rehouse workers from overcrowded areas.
The field committees also approved several urgent measures to oblige companies and institutions that have existing and future contracts with government agencies to comply with the requirements for migrant worker accommodations. They also discussed several procedures requiring employers to provide adequate and healthy housing for migrant workers.
Prince Faisal was also briefed on the latest developments in the pilot housing projects underway in three Madinah locations with capacity for more than 7,000 people.
The projects are to be implemented in two phases. The first phase will be completed within three months and will accommodate 3,000 workers, while the second phase will end in six months and accommodate about 4,000 workers.
Earlier this month Prince Faisal said that the well-being of migrant workers and securing appropriate living conditions for them regardless of their nationality was at the heart of the Kingdom’s efforts.
“Our religion urges us to treat all workers compassionately. And as such, we refuse to have workers exposed to any kind of physical or psychological harm that could affect their well-being,” he said during a visit to new housing facilities for migrant workers.
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