PM stresses adherence to building codes

AMMAN — Prime Minister Bisher Al Khasawneh on Sunday called on all relevant authorities to ensure strict compliance with the implementation of national construction codes on buildings and structures across the Kingdom and intensify monitoring on adherence of engineering blueprints.

The prime minister's remarks came during a meeting held at the Prime Ministry, attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Local Administration Tawfiq Krishan, Minister of Public Works and Housing Maher Abu Samen, Interior Minister Mazen Faraya and Amman Mayor Yousef Shawarbeh.

Khasawneh said that the implementation of the codes for new buildings ensures their protection as well as that of their residents to a "large" extent from risks due to any natural conditions, primarily earthquakes, potential cracks, or moving soil that prevents construction operations, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

As for old buildings, he stressed the need for conducting an overall survey on their conditions across Jordan to determine areas and neighbourhoods at risk, launch a plan to deal with any incidents and identify the required intervention from the concerned authorities.

In addition, Khasawneh called on the concerned ministries and the Greater Amman Municipality, in cooperation with the National Centre for Security and Crisis Management and law enforcement agencies, to ensure the implementation of the requirements set by the Jordanian National Building Law in the Kingdom.

The prime minister referred to past large-scale surveys and studies that had been conducted within the borders of the Amman municipality for old buildings, especially those over 50 years old.

In this regard, he stressed the need to complete these survey studies in a scientific way to identify areas and neighbourhoods where buildings do not conform to the requirements of the Jordanian National Building Law.

Meanwhile, the attending ministers and GAM mayor briefed Khasawneh on the measures currently being taken to ensure that buildings conform to the national building codes. This action was taken in a bid to identify areas in which buildings could pose a threat to public and residents' safety and take the necessary legal measures and violations against non-compliant entities.