Amman municipality receives 300 complaints over construction noise

AMMAN – The Greater Amman Municipality’s (GAM) building control department has received more than 400 complaints since the beginning of Ramadan, 300 of which were about construction noise,  an official said Wednesday. 

Raed Haddadin, the department’s director, said many Amman residents have filed public nuisance complaints over noise from construction sites in residential areas after iftar. 

“We do not want to disturb people during Ramadan because it is a holy month and they have to enjoy it,” he told The Jordan Times over the phone. 

Haddadin added that GAM teams work intensively after iftar, the post-sunset meal that Muslims have to break their day-long fast, and until dawn to record violations. 

Last month, GAM set Ramadan working hours at construction sites from 8:30am to 6pm. 

“We made exceptions for construction work in specific locations, but these will be terminated if GAM receives a complaint about noise,” he added.

“One of the complaints we received was aboutpouring concrete in the evening. We call on people to ask the neighbourhood residents for permission before they do that.”

Haddadin said many trucks are overloaded with concrete, some of which ends up on the streets, making it slippery for motorists. 

“This is really dangerous and it poses a threat to public safety and health.” 

Those responsible for such incidents, he added, receive a ticket and have to cover the expenses of cleaning the street. 

Cars abandoned on streets and plots of land are also among the complaints that GAM deals with during Ramadan, according to Haddadin.