BRT project takes toll on footfall, Tabarbour traders lament

AMMAN — Tabarbour merchants have appealed to the Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) to obtain compensation for damages and losses due to the Greater Amman Municipality's (GAM) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, which began in the area in June 2019 and is expected to last for two years.

“GAM's bus project was a severe blow to merchants and landlords, as it reduced mobility in Tabarbour area, which led to a severe setback in their sales,” President of the ACC Khalil Haj Tawfiq told The Jordan Times on Thursday.

The challenges facing Tabarbour merchants are “tremendous”, due to road closures and obstructions, detours and infrastructure work for the BRT project, causing 60 shops to shut down and large flows of BRT-affected people to seek help from the ACC, the president said.

“The long-term bus project has had an impact on the business of more than 200 store owners, and until now a total of 87 formal delegations have gathered and gone to the ACC,” Haj Tawfiq added.

A committee of the affected traders has been established to pursue the matter with the chamber’s board in order to put together the case file for estimating the amount of damage and find a mechanism to meet the needs of traders, according to Haj Tawfiq.

“Certain measures and committees of expertise will be part of counteracting the negative impact of the bus project by obtaining data about the loss of earnings in comparison with the net profits of the past three years,” the ACC president added.

The ACC board will discuss this file on November 30 with the aim of drawing a strategic plan to ensure the rights of Tabarbour merchants, he said, adding that about a month ago, Amman Mayor Yousef Shawarbeh stated that any affected trader in Tabarbour’s Tareq area should take advantage of the law to claim their rights.

Tareq area traders and landlords had only two options in facing the scenario of shutdowns: Either to resort to the law, which takes time, or appeal to the ACC, the president added.

“The ACC will endeavour to assist the traders and help them survive this setback,” he said.

“The merchants voiced their concerns about this project, which has created a ‘blockade’ on the area. As a result, this case is of significant interest to the ACC,” Haj Tawfiq added.