Residents Raise Concerns Over Conversion of Residential Areas
In a significant move reflecting the daily struggles of residents in peaceful neighborhoods, a group of residents from the first and second phases of the Zahr Taraka district in Marrakech has submitted a complaint to the local mayor. They are voicing their strong opposition to the alarming trend of transforming residential buildings into bus stations for passenger transport. This situation has been described by the residents as a blatant violation of the original residential character of their area.
The complaint, registered on August 27, highlights the severe repercussions of this practice, which has turned streets that were once quiet and safe into congested passages filled with vehicles and large buses. This transformation has led to serious environmental and traffic disturbances, causing significant distress for the local community. Residents have pointed out that the daily accumulation of waste, dense smoke emissions, and persistent noise extending late into the night have become direct threats to public health, particularly endangering children and the elderly who are now deprived of the basic elements necessary for a dignified and comfortable living.
Furthermore, the letter emphasizes that this situation has escalated from a mere annoyance to a genuine crisis affecting the stability of hundreds of families. The lack of oversight to prevent the exploitation of residential spaces for transport purposes that do not align with approved urban planning regulations is particularly concerning. The signatories of the complaint are calling for immediate and decisive intervention from local authorities to put an end to these violations. They are demanding that the conversion of residential buildings into transport stations be prohibited, waste management issues be addressed, and that regulatory laws protecting the residential nature of neighborhoods be enforced.
These demands come at a time when the urban transport system in Marrakech is undergoing restructuring. The municipal council recently approved the relocation of the bus station from Bab Doukkala to Al-Azouziah, aligning with Minister of Transport and Logistics decision No. 1302.26 published in the official gazette on July 23, 2026, which stipulates the necessity of adhering to licensed routes and stations. Despite these organizational efforts at a general level, residents of the Zahr Taraka neighborhood are still waiting for this attention to translate into tangible actions that will rescue their district from chaos and restore their natural right to live in peace and dignity.
As reported by jamaalfnapress.ma.
