City officials in Dubai have demolished 72 buildings as part of a crackdown on abandoned homes.
"While buildings are left unoccupied chances are high for misuse," said Yusuf Abdulla Marzouqi, acting director of the Building Department at Dubai Municipality. "Those with antisocial intentions and illegal inhabitants take shelter in these causing threats to the whole society."
Using demolition and notices, the municipality cut the number of abandoned buildings from 518 to 203 last year.
The municipality said it will clear all abandoned buildings by the end of the year.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
