Sharjah24: With the support and guidance of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and continuous oversight by Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, Chairman of Sharjah Executive Council (SEC), the Sharjah Public Works Department (SPWD) successfully finished a series of developmental projects in 2023. These services include construction, maintenance, and sewage operations in different cities within the emirate. The department made consistent progress towards achieving its ambitious goals.

Engineer Ali bin Saeed bin Shaheen Al Suwaidi, Member of the Executive Council of Sharjah and Chairman of the Public Works Department, shared that the SPWD successfully finished 235 projects across different sectors like construction, urban development, infrastructure, maintenance, supply, decoration, furnishing, and information technology. The projects included a range of governmental, educational, cultural, sports, park, mosque, market, land settlement, infrastructure service projects, and fishing sector projects.

The department has reported a 10% growth in the registration of new companies. A total of 121 new companies were registered, and 320 companies renewed their registration, bringing the total registered companies to 431. Out of the total, 47 companies were rated excellent by the department's engineers. This included 22 construction companies, 9 maintenance companies, 13 supply and installation companies, and 3 demolition and settlement companies.

The department focused on implementing plans to attract and qualify human resources, while also continuing the Emiratisation strategy. Employees completed a total of 5,658 training hours, along with 18 internal workshops, 8 engineering programmes, and practical field training for six students.

Bin Shaheen Al Suwaidi made it clear that at the start of the year, the Department finished various projects in collaboration with the relevant authorities. The Department at the University of Sharjah has finished constructing multi-story parking buildings. He mentioned that the department finished construction work in the Mleiha and Al Ramla parks in Sharjah. In Al Hamriyah, the department finished constructing a private house for fishermen and also completed the construction of the Al Hamriyah nursery building, fully furnishing it.

The Chairman of the department confirmed the successful completion of various projects in the Central Region. These projects involved the construction of rubberized walkways in Tl Al Zaafaran Park, Al Huwia Park, and Hamda Park, as well as the finalisation of the Family Development Building in the Central Region. 

He emphasised the finished construction work at Al Ruwaidah Park for women, Qatah Park, and Zabeeda Park in Al Dhaid, along with the installation of lighting at Tawi Al Mahafiz Park. In addition, the department built a camel race track and other projects.

Furthermore, the department finished construction in Al Raq Park and included a playground and sports equipment. 

In addition, the department finished constructing the livestock market in Al Dhaid. It was designed based on top international standards, incorporating the latest technologies and equipment. Health safety conditions were also prioritised to ensure efficiency, speed, and timely completion. The market was built to accommodate large numbers of people and cater to the needs of both residents and visitors in the area. The market follows various standards such as complying with green building requirements, considering environmental conservation systems, reducing heat emissions, and implementing a central cleaning system for slaughterhouses to minimise the use of cleaning equipment and materials. It is situated in a prime location in Al Oweidid area, at the centre of Al Dhaid city, and features key indicators to guarantee top-notch service provision. 

The livestock market in Al Dhaid covers an impressive area of 30,000 square metres, featuring 22 barns for cattle and camels, 25 barns for sheep, and 13 shops for poultry.

The Al Lulayyah Public Park development in Khorfakkan city has been finished, along with the building of a prayer park and the provision of laboratory equipment for the Humanitarian Services Building in Khorfakkan. In addition to that, the Department finished constructing the Firefighting Training Centre and Simulator Centre at the Sharjah Academy for Marine Science in Khorfakkan, along with various maintenance projects. In addition, the department finished constructing the livestock market in Khorfakkan.

Recently, the department accomplished the administrative building of Kalba Club Union and the Mosque Square 19 construction. Last year, the department successfully finished projects including sewage works in the Saf residential complex in Kalba and the construction of Saf Residential Complex Park. Moreover, the Kalba Ice Factory building in Kalba city has been renovated and rebuilt. The building underwent renovations to accommodate artistic and social amenities, with its halls showcasing various international pieces.

The Sharjah Public Works Department offers thorough maintenance services for public facilities, ensuring top-notch quality and utilising cutting-edge technologies in multiple fields. 

The department completed a variety of maintenance projects for multiple sports, cultural, and educational buildings, with a total of 45 projects. They handled 17,414 maintenance requests for 404 buildings under their care.

The Sharjah Public Works Department was honoured with the Gold Award in the Information Technology category at the 2022 World Harvard Business Council Awards ceremony in New York, USA. This acknowledgment was credited to its cutting-edge digital infrastructure efficiency and the delivery of all services through smart channels, allowing users to access its services at any time and from any location.

Moreover, Safari buildings in Sharjah were awarded a Silver Certification by the Global Union for the Disabled for being disability-friendly, recognising their exceptional efforts and complete readiness to cater to this significant segment of society. The certification was awarded for the facilities' adherence to all required standards, allowing them to cater to individuals with disabilities by offering appropriate amenities to enhance their mobility within the park.

In addition, the department received the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Information Security Management certification, as well as renewed five quality certificates (ISO 9001:2015, ISO 20000, ISO 10001, ISO 10004, ISO 10002).

In the field of sustainability, the department successfully finished multiple projects focusing on sustainability initiatives across different areas.

Over the past year, the department introduced the "Smart Assistant" service on WhatsApp and upgraded the "Asnad" application for its employees.

The Department received 35 observations, which was a 10% decrease from the previous period, and all of them were addressed. Moreover, the department stored 150 files, which were then moved to the central archive.

The department organised 21 events, such as a blood donation campaign, health check-ups for employees on World Health Day, seasonal flu vaccination campaign, "Connecting Ring" initiative, "Flashes of Excellence" initiative, a visit to the Sharjah Shooting Club, and a recreational trip to Al Hamriyah Beach, among others. 

Employee satisfaction has hit an impressive 95%, with public satisfaction not far behind at 92%. 

Several benchmarking comparisons and external visits were conducted to learn about best practices and apply them in ongoing projects.

The department was actively involved in different conferences and delivered presentations, including the Emirates Green Building Council Conference, COP28, and the Second Construction Exhibition in Kalba.

With regard to publications, the department published four issues of its quarterly magazine "Imran," along with the 2022 annual book, the fifth edition of the Service Guide, and the Construction Site Safety Guide.