Saudi: July 3 deadline for expats unextendable

Jeddah, Jun 2: Saudi authorities have rejected requests by embassies, public and private sectors to extend the grace period to legalize the status of workers violating labor regulations.

According to a source, a request was submitted last week to extend the grace period, but the Saudi government has rejected it.

“The government refused to extend the period that will end on July 3. The government has urged official departments to adhere to the deadline of the three-month grace period given by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah,” the source said.

Spokesman of the Labor Ministry, Hattab Al-Anazi, said the grace period was based on a royal decree and that only another royal decree can extend it.

“I don't think the period will be extended, because the decision of the grace period came directly from King Abdullah. Authorities will start applying the penal system on violators from July 4. There will be no exceptions,” said Al-Anazi.

However, Brig. Hussain Al-Harthi, head of the Passport Department in the Makkah Province, said his administration has caught forging attempts by expatriates to stay in the Kingdom.

Commenting on the video that went viral online showing a passport officer hitting expatriates, Al-Harthi said it is unacceptable and that passport personnel are supposed to serve both nationals and expatriates.

“What happened was that a group of expatriates broke the gate of the passport department and caused chaos inside, but that does not give anyone an excuse to act inappropriately. The officer who committed this act was fired from the department immediately following an investigation,” he said.

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Mangaluru’s ₹1,200 crore fix: Massive sewage overhaul to end city’s drainage woes

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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