MoI to organize work of mobile food trucks in residential areas
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‘Mobile vehicles at waterfronts, tourist spots cause inconvenience’
KUWAIT CITY, Jan 3: The Ministry of Interior has called for the issuance of a decision to determine and regulate the working times of mobile food trucks in residential areas, and not to allow these mobile food trucks to be left on the streets overnight, reports Al-Qabas daily. The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, Lieutenant General Anwar Al-Barjas, said in a letter addressed to the Kuwait Municipality, that the proliferation of mobile food trucks selling snacks and beverages along the waterfronts, and tourist spots is a source of inconvenience and irresponsible behavior, and a kind of harassment for families particularly beach-goers and those visiting waterfronts for leisure, more so, because some of them are known to sell forbidden items such as drugs and intoxicants.
Al-Barjas referred to the letter of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, issued on Nov 14, 2022, on the issue of mobile vehicles and not approving the issuance of any permits for activities related to food trucks except after obtaining approval from the General Traffic Department and called on the Municipality to study the following:
■ The possibility of not allowing mobile vehicles to be parked along the streets and roads overnight and in case of violation of this rule, the vehicle to be towed to the Municipality garage without issuing a warning period so as not to cause security risk or create an uncivilized atmosphere.
■ The possibility of issuing a decision through which to determine and regulate the working hours of mobile food trucks within residential areas which have a license to practice the activity.
Decision
It is noteworthy that the letter of the Ministry of Commerce addressed to the Ministry of Interior stated that the administrative decision, dated March 4, 2021, was issued to stop issuing licenses for food trucks until further notice, and the valid licenses were granted based on the approval of the Municipal Council.
The Ministry of Commerce indicated that mobile vehicle sites along the main streets or residential areas, which belong to a large segment of owners of small and medium enterprises, are approved by the ministry and the Municipality, and the documentary cycle cannot be prolonged in granting these licenses to mobile vehicle sites.
The Ministry of Commerce asked the Ministry of Interior to inform it in the event of any complaint about any of the licensed mobile parking sites, which impede traffic on the main streets, so that the site can be canceled.
Al-Barjas explained that the requirements that must be met to obtain the approval of the General Traffic Department are as follows:
■ Not to park at major intersections, roundabouts and highways
■ Not selling foods and beverages in public and crowded parking lots
■ The parking must be on the external service roads at a distance of not less than 30 meters
■ To change its location as requested by the General Traffic Department, security patrols, or any regulatory agency if and when obstructing traffic.
Al-Barjas revealed that the spread of mobile food trucks along waterfronts, sites and tourist attractions should not be allowed in case of the following:
■ If group of youth gather and hang around in the vicinity of these vehicles, which results in fights and arguments
■ Selling contraband such as narcotics, intoxicants, and others
■ If found it is a source of nuisance, irresponsible behavior, and harassment of families who visit the beaches and waterfronts.
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