Chairs, tables, advertising brands … For several days, Tunis sidewalks have been released by municipal services. A large -scale campaign led by the municipality aims to return public space to pedestrians, long forced to share the street with the wild commercial occupation.
In rue Ibn Khaldoun and its surroundings, in the heart of the capital, the operation is in its fifth day. It is controlled by the municipal police, supported by the hygiene, cleanliness services, control of public domain occupancy authorizations, as well as the Bab Bhar post. The results are already visible: 31 chairs, 16 tables, six brands and several non -compliant equipment have been seized.
According to the municipality, 49 health offenses have also been noted in establishments open to the public, a sign that the campaign is not only aimed at sidewalks, but also compliance with hygiene and safety standards.
The initiative is part of a broader plan for urban reorganization. The objective: to reaffirm the municipal authority, to improve the quality of life in the city and to guarantee the free movement of pedestrians.
For years, the invasion of sidewalks by cafes terraces, stalls or unsuccessful installations has caused the exasperation of the inhabitants, often forced to walk on the roadway at the risk of their safety.
If the campaign is praised by a part of the citizens, it remains to be seen if it will be duration and if the measures taken will be maintained in the face of the usual resistances. The municipality promises, for its part, to continue its operations in other districts of Tunis in the coming weeks.
