King urges high-quality, smooth delivery of municipal services

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday, during a visit to the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), stressed that citizens have the right to receive high-quality services through easy procedures.

His Majesty also highlighted the importance of acquainting citizens with updates on work progress in GAM-implemented projects, especially those related to the public transport sector, according to a Royal Court statement.

King Abdullah had a first-hand look at achievements realised in implementing GAM plans aimed at improving services presented to citizens, especially those related to the public transport and electronic transformation.

The King, during a meeting at GAM attended by Prime Minister Omar Razzaz, underlined that citizens should feel the impact of e-transformation and service computerisation, so as to facilitate procedures for both residents and investors.

He added that e-transformation would enhance citizens’ confidence, calling for speeding up the implementation of GAM plans and programmes according to the set timetables.

As for the business and investment environment, His Majesty urged a comprehensive blueprint to improve services and infrastructure in eastern and southern areas of the capital.

Amman Mayor Yousef Shawarbeh noted that the municipality had bought 135 buses worth JD16.5 million to update the public transport system, underlining a total of JD45 million allocated for buying buses under a plan expected to conclude in 2020.

Shawarbeh said that GAM is currently updating the public transport comprehensive system as part of a vision for the sector in the city for the next 20 years.

As for the Bus Rapid Transit project (BRT) and the joint link with the Amman-Zarqa BRT, the mayor noted that GAM would complete the referral of all related tenders for the infrastructure projects by the yearend, including the bus routes, intersections, tunnels and bridges at a cost of JD136 million. 

The BRT service is scheduled to kick off late 2020, he said.

As for the e-transformation, Shawarbeh expected complete automation of GAM services by the end of 2020, depending on the readiness of partner institutions, noting that GAM plans to automate 187 services by 2020.

As for projects related to investment, the mayor said that GAM has established a private shareholding company totally owned by GAM to manage investment in the municipality’s assets.