Page 155 - Bahrain Gov annual reports(V)_Neat

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In October 1953 the Government issued a proclamation ordering that all sales of land by
the Government in Manama, Muharraq, Hedd and Rafaa should be subject to the condition
that within two years the property should be built on. Another condition of such sales, which
had been in force for some time, forbade the sale of land if it had been purchased from the Gov­
ernment, for a period of ten years from the date of purchase. The Government sells land with
the object of encouraging people to build small houses, not to give them opportunities for
land speculation.
Sales by Government. During the period under review the Government sold 143 building
sites in Manama, Muharraq, Rafaa and elsewhere. Many of the sales were to Government
employees who availed themselves of the Building Loan Scheme. Land in the Manama area
was sold at Re. 1/- per square foot with a reduction in the case of employees with long service,
small plots inside the town were sold at prices varying from Rs. I to Rs. 4 per square foot.
At Rafaa land occupied by barastis was sold to the persons residing in the barastis at Annas 2
per square foot, Residents of Rafaa who owned no other property were allowed to buy
building sites for Annas 3 per square foot and people from outside Rafaa were charged Annas 5
per square foot, the object being to encourage those inhabitants of the town who owned no
land to buy land and build on it.

Five plots of land in the country were sold to persons who proposed to cultivate them.
The amount received by the Department from sales of land was Rs. 189,000/-, this included
outstanding payments from certain purchasers in the previous year. No important sales were
made by the Government but a large number of small plots were sold to lower income grade
working people.

The price of land in the neighbourhood of the towns shows no sign of decreasing but
prices of date gardens are still declining. This is due to the high wages which have to be paid to
cultivators and to the fact that it is difficult to find tenants to lease gardens. A few gardens
close to Manama have been sold at good prices to people who anticipate that before long the
town will expand towards the gardens.
Rent of Government Property. Rents from the line of shops on the west side of Barrett
Road increased from Rs. 51,800 in 1372 to Rs. 82,700 in 1954. This was due to the con­
struction of upper rooms above the shops, some of them being completed and leased during the
period under review. Rents from land held on long leases was Rs. 18,000 and from short
leases, Rs. 13,700. Revenue from long leases was less than in 1372 because certain tenants
who had an option to purchase decided to exercise it.
Auctions and Assessment. Six properties were put in auction by Order of the Bahrain
Court. Most of these properties formed part of estates which the heirs wished to realise into
cash. In the previous year several sales were made by order of the court to satisfy debtors.
Twelve assessments of rents were made in connection with cases in courts.

Sales of Maps and Aerial Photographs. The proceeds from sales of maps was Rs. 9,700,
The Department holds a large stock of these maps of various types but the sale is small.
Bahrain Electric Scheme. The department was much concerned with the question of land
ownership and wayleaves for the gas-electric scheme. A new power house was built at the
south end of the Qudhabia Racecourse and from it main overhead lines were installed leading
out of Manama and eventually reaching the principal villages on the Manama—Rafaa and
Manama—Budeya roads. The overhead main cables followed a route through date gardens
and private property and many date palms had to be cut down to make a passage for the
overhead lines, supported on high pylons. The Superintendent of the Department with the
representative of Messrs. D. and C. and William Press, the contractors, and three Arab assessors
visited and inspected all the gardens where date trees had to be cut. Eventually it was decided
that the valuation should be made only after all the trees had been cut. The owners were asked
to leave two feet of every date tree in the ground so that the number of trees could be ascer­
tained, the value to be assessed according to the value of the surrounding trees. The pipe
conveying the gas from the oilfield to the power-house was laid alongside the Manama—Rafaa
road, not entering any private property. Maps showing the routes and details about properties
affected, and their owners, were prepared by the Department.