Yesterday they started barricading and fencing up Jleeb and Mahboula as part of an area lockdown in hopes of preventing the spread of the Coronavirus. Nobody will be allowed to leave those areas without permission.
Both those areas contain a lot of unskilled workers and you could notice the effect of this lockdown pretty much right away. The gas station I frequent the most on the Gulf Road had only one worker this morning. Even the mini Sultan Center Express at that station was closed. When I asked the only employee working there about this, he told me it was because the rest of the employees were stuck in Jleeb.
Should be interesting how this will play out and if it will eventually be implemented in other areas.
44 replies on “Jleeb and Mahboula Locked Down”
Hope this isn’t some slowly unfolding plan where they lock down areas one by one.
Good thing I live in Salmiya, we’ve got everything here, we should be building a fence to keep everyone out of here lol. Only other place I’d want to be locked down in would be Avenues. So Salmiya is my #1 choice and Avenues would be my #2. I don’t think I have a #3
KMT with our cars, unlimited gasoline, and one decent restaurant and coffee shop
haha you’ve got a Porsche so you’d also want unlimited tires and brake pads as well lol
Haha, I wouldn’t mind KMT either. Been only a couple months since I was last on track. Feels like a lifetime already.
So now how do residents of Mahboula get groceries if they are under full curfew? Or can they leave thier house and roam around inside Mahboula?
yup its business as usual, during the day you can roam around normally as long as its in mahboula, during curfew you’re stuck home like everyone else.
We are in day 3 of the lockdown in Mahboula. I tried to get vegetables at the Grand Hyper right next to my apartment. I waited in tenuous line with tempers flaring due to wait times. Got inside and there is unlimited amounts of ginger, apples, and gourds/pumpkins…everything else is empty regarding fruit and vegetables. Same with the new OnCost right next door.
Apparently, today was a day to exchange or get new gas cans, the initial crowd that formed down the road from our place was crowded, but seemed like at least 2 lines had formed…still looked quite chaotic, then in the afternoon, it was supervised by Kuwaiti soldiers, with batons, and lines were orderly until they dispersed at 4:45.
I am not looking forward to this lingering for weeks in this scenario. I have a car, but cannot get out and unless they can figure out how to stock the two grand Hypers we have in Mahboula, food is going to become a bigger issue.
Meanwhile, the MOI sends texts every 30 minutes telling us to stay home, this is for our own good, etc…
Exactly roam around inside mahboula. There’s the co-ops and a clinic for any needs
Not true. Coop and clinic are both in Abu Halifa.
Unfortunate for the residents, but necessary.
If you are allowed to roam around your area freely, doesn’t that just contain the infection in that area? How does that help the country at large after 2 weeks? Isn’t that like opening a can of soda that has been rattled and rolled everyday after 2 weeks….
They’ll open the can after waiting for the some time for the fizz to die down
I should have actually said like a PMS woman waiting to explode! And that cannot be contained!!
LOL! With time hopefully
My accommodation is mahbula but now I’m in the riqqa I want to go my room but there have totally locked all area I can’t go back my room so please help me I want to go my room please
Jleeb is neglected area we don’t know the reason it’s internal part of Kuwait but been treated as strange area.
No proper and strict laws and regulation implemented gutter always overflowing, bad smell, water in and out baladiya dispersment is different issue this other than carona.
Even during that lockdown, they should still stay at home.
Shuwaikh, industrial, iran. Souq…. Too much crowed
I’m not clear on how this initiative is going to wholly deal with matters?
The way forward in this has to be, in my opinion, carrying out tests to identify any infection, and then isolating those cases.
Furthermore, what is the use of segregating whole areas when the virus will likely spread within these through lack of social distancing during the non-curfew hours?
Appreciate though that these are very trying and unique times, and the authorities have extremely difficult decisions that need to be made.
Getting some District-9 vibes here.
hahaha. i think you mean the movie district b13. hahahaha they will build a wall around all expats. hahahaha
So many other countries did the same, heck italy blocked of the entire south region. this is not about expats or locals its about the infected areas. there are kuwaities that live in mahbola too that is effected. victim syndrome is highly spread by some expats here. no one is there to get you.
this is one of the rare cases where it absolutely has nothing to do with kuwaiti/non-kuwaiti. the government is trying to do their best, and people shouldn’t be going from area to area REGARDLESS. just stay home and go to your local co-op.
“victim syndrome is highly spread by some expats here. no one is there to get you.”
I am assuming you are not an expat. You cant comment on the lives of ppl in whose shoes you haven’t lived. Or rather, you can comment, but it doesn’t make it fact. THe body counts of expats here based purely on cruel actions of employers is enough to conclude that they are victimised in Kuwait. This? I am not sure – but a sweeping statement like yours is blatantly false. Then again, how would you know while you enjoy the ridiculous privilege you have. Only after you suffer greatly would you even be able to empathise. And one day you will, like every human on earth.
I live in jleeb & its gotten difficult… I rely on restaurants but everything from bakalas to restaurants are closing by 2:30pm instead of 4pm just before curfew time… Now I’ve stocked up on canned tuna & whatever kind of bread I can find just to be safe.
In my opinion they should let food supplies for restaurants come through… Not everybody makes food at home I’m sure company have tie-ups with local restaurants for there employee sustenance as well!
& that thing about everybody turning in to zombies because they are in the containment area is kinda something to think about as well… A test of each and every building might help… Some food handouts to the so many workers & residents might work as well.
I sincerely hope they have thought about all this! Or its going to be a very very long 2 weeks… 😐
Its exceptional circumstances. Adapt, make your own food.
see my comments above about the availability of food, particularly vegetables in Mahboula – on day 3…
Yep… in the same boat!
Lines here for gas refill was quite long as well & we even had a helicopter making rounds from the gas station to all over jleeb today!
Read about the local co-op being exclusively reserved for citizens yesterday… But my friend’s sister was allowed to enter yesterday so not sure if this is being followed in practice or not…
I went to the local bakala today to get milk as I do everyday & noted how there milk supplies have been dwindling since the lockdown started!
The restaurants are starting to close because of lack of supplies as well… 1 restaurant I went to told me how they went to the police station for a permit to allow supplies to enter for there restaurant but were denied… I had this conversation yesterday…
Im not sure about how they plan to manage this because people here are concerned as it is & they are starting to notice these shortages… People are ready to cooperate but they need to ensure passage of food supplies as normal…
UPDATE:
The bakala seemed well stocked today so I guess this was just an avoidable hiccup… It was relieving to see… But idk about the bigger supermarkets because even now everybody still seems to be stocking in large quantities…
The middle-class & families just need there local stores to be stocked as always & with there salaries already paid & rent relief already provided to many we should all get by just fine!
As for the bachelors who rely on company food & accommodation I think they are being taken care of already so its just a matter of time!
We’ll get through this!
Alot of companies have literally moved their employees from Jleeb to Salmiya, Hawally, etc to escape the lockdown, thus making the point of the lockdown invalid sadly. Not going to name my company or companies, as I want to keep my job.
True.A lots.
In Mahboulah, as far as I am aware, all restaurants are shut and Talabat have removed the delivery address from their system so you can’t order food from outside Mahboulah at any time.
The coop is in Abu Halifa so we can’t go there, so resigned to local 123 Supermarkets within Mahboulah. Hope they stay stocked !!
I am surprised India has not yet repatriated its blue collar workers from Kuwait. Of course, there are two aspects to this, I realize:
1) The workers not wanting to be repatriated.
2) Mass repatriation of the blue collared from Kuwait will lead to a deep humanitarian crises in Kuwait where you will suddenly find people in Kuwait struggling to cope absent the khademas, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, gardeners, manual labourers and above all, sanitation workers. Such an overnight flight of these essential workers would bring forth refugee camp like conditions in large parts of Kuwait including Jabreya, South Surra, Mishref & Dahiyat Abdallah Salem.
It’s a tricky One to handle- damn if you do repatriate them and damned if you dont.
There are a lot of factors to this…
1. There are simply way too many of us abroad 😀 …
2. Already struggling with those inside the country so don’t want to take in more.
3. Along with the country in general the state borders are closed as well so many workers will have a hard time getting home!
4. There might be something in the works for after the 14th of April.
As we all know blue collared foreign workers across the Gulf live in some of the most precarious conditions anywhere in the World with or without Corona. Their well being and health too should become a national health priority for you cannot hope to have pockets of Singapore emerge as oases in the middle of overcrowding, filth and squalor.
Apparently there’s a rapid response COVID team of 15 doctors and health care professionals coming in from India at the request of the Govt to help with the Covid-19 containment effort locally.
The other challenge will be the Holy month of Ramadan which is just round the corner. Prolonged fasting over a month may impact immunity of those who are already medically de-compensated and can create an awkward situation for public health officials.
Very true & very unfortunate indeed…
But just today I saw a video of a Kuwait Airways flight which brought in 150 tons of food from Mumbai yesterday… the video was published by arab times & I am surprised i have not seen it on pages like Kuwait upto date or awwalkuwait so far…
Combined with the doctors that arrived earlier I am viewing this is a precursor to when the repatriation effort gets underway in full swing…
I also totally understand the general sentiment of the local population against expats at the moment & I hope recruitment in the future is more regulated including an end to visa traders… This marginal workforce situation seems to have turned out to be a tipping point due to this crisis…
People in Mahboula, how are you coping?
Where are you getting your groceries from?
Gas cylinders?
Supermarkets within Mahboula are open but I cannot confirm whether or how often they are being resupplied.
Police with batons organising the queues outside one of those supermarkets which had announced a particular day to change cylinders.
No access to coops because there isn’t one in Mahboula.
Constant text messages from MOI stating: “Dear residents the full curfew in your area is for the protection of you and your family, all your needed supplies and health care will be provided to you”. I have no idea what their plans are or what this message means in terms of practicality.
every one is talking about the food, what about the people who don’t have work and no money to buy the food or to pay the flat (or room) rent.
May Allah help us all!
Is Mahboula still locked down? It’s been two weeks already. Did they extended the lockdown? I heard the police on 30 are gone now.
I’ve stopped receiving constant messages from MOI about how the curfew is helping to protect my family. Last messages were sent on Saturday 18th April.
No media outlet has said a single thing about this, as far as I can tell.
Today its 3rd March and we are still under isolation with no hope of when it might open . I don’t know how it is for people with car but we are struggling . My Dad needs medicine from Farwaniya and Eye hospital . But we have no way of getting medicine .
We can’t buy heavy things as it is very hard to carry it back while fasting . I wish they would allow delivery for Milk and water atleast . Yes its allowed to roam inside area but we would rather stay at home and order items . Which is now impossible .
Hopefully they considers us too, at some point .
Today 28th June 2020. And jleeb is still under lockdown. It would have been great to have some financial aid here. I cannot blame government for anything, I can see they are trying there best to help us.
But Life is getting harder , survival game is on .
Hopefully vaccine is out soon, this uncertain future is scaring us 🙁
I am an student for MBA and now that I am not able to go to my job I wonder how am I supposed to pay for my studies in next semester. As an expat born here, I am sure government wont help with my study expense. Can’t think straight anymore, we are getting mentally ill .