• This law shall be called the Law of Roads and Buildings.

• In this Law, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings assigned thereto:

• a) Building Authority: The Capital Municipality Presidency, the sub-municipalities, the engineers thereof, and members of the commissions authorized under the Law of Municipalities to exercise all or some of the powers and duties of the Building Authority under this Law.

• b) Building Plot: All lands that are designated for building purposes under the provisions of Article 6 of this Law.

• c) Plant: Any covered or uncovered place where a machine powered by electricity, steam, or any mechanical force operates to develop any product or carry out any industry.

• d) Residential Area: All zones that are designated for residential purposes under Article 6(d) of this Law.

• e) Vacant Land: All undeveloped, unfenced, and uninhabited lands within a town.

• f) Law: The Law of Roads and Buildings.

• g) Roads: All streets, public and private roads, squares, and sidewalks that are located within a submunicipality's borders.

• h) Construction: Any new construction work including the excavation of foundations and the erection of a structure using one or more building materials, regardless of whether the purpose of such structure is known or unknown; this term shall encompass the construction of roshans (oriel windows), balconies (verandas), and pergolas.

• i) Restoration: The removal of any damage that has occurred to some or all of an existing structure, and restoring such structure to its previous state, provided that the damage thereof does not exceed approximately a cubit above the ground surface.

• j) Construction Permit: The document that permits the requested construction in accordance with the conditions and provisions specified in this Law or any other applicable laws.

• k) Property Owner: A person who owns a property or is responsible for its management by power of attorney, appointment, guardianship, trusteeship, or by any other means.

• l) Design: The approved plan of the area under the sub-municipality’s jurisdiction, including the roads and the constructions thereof, in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Law.

• m)Engineer: A person who holds a degree from a recognized engineering school, or a person who has previously worked or undergone relevant training in engineering, has the necessary qualifications, and has been recognized as an engineer by official engineering authorities.

• n) Architect: A person who holds a license from the sub-municipality administration authorizing him to practice construction work.

• o) Architectural Cubit: A unit of measurement that equals 75 centimeters.

• p) Planning Boundary: A demarcation line that separates two zones based on their size and boundaries determined in accordance with the approved design.

• q) Health Authority: The town physician or his equivalent, whether an individual or a group, who is selected by the mayor of the Capital Municipality or a head of a sub-municipality in collaboration with the Director of Health, and who is entrusted with some or all of the powers and duties assigned to the Public Health Authority under this Law.

• r) Public Street, Public Square, Garden, Public Orchard, or Park: All zones that are designated for public streets, public squares, gardens, public orchards, and parks under Article 6(a) of this Law.

• s) Local Publication: The dissemination of information using the methods of publishing local announcements in the sub-municipality’s jurisdiction or using any other adequate means specified by the mayor of the Capital Municipality or a head of a sub-municipality.

• Notices or announcements to the property owner, or a person acting on his behalf, may be delivered by the department messenger or sent via registered mail to his last known address, if available. If no such address exists, the sub-municipality must post the notice conspicuously on the property in question or at prominent locations within the town, as well as publishing an announcement in the local newspapers.

• Employees of the Building Authority shall be prohibited from entering any premises for the purpose of verifying compliance with instructions and orders related to the construction, demolition, or repair of buildings or compliance with the architectural and sanitation requirements, without obtaining prior permission. If entry is required into a room or section designated for women, adequate notice must be given to the occupants of such property to allow sufficient time to relocate the women or to take appropriate measures to ensure their comfort.

• A special technical committee shall be formed and entrusted with the task of gradually preparing and designing maps at a scale of no less than 1/10,000 based on rent. These maps shall be submitted for review by the relevant authorities, including the municipality, sub-municipalities, and the Municipal Council, in the presence of the Technical Committee. Upon approval, the maps shall be promptly submitted to higher authorities for necessary actions. Such a committee shall start by drafting the maps of the capital city first, then proceed to the other main cities progressively.

• The alignment and designs of roads shall be determined in accordance with a map prepared by the Technical Committee under this Law, and such map shall become effective upon its ratification by higher authorities.

Roads are planned according to the approved design, which is to be implemented gradually. However, when reconstructing demolished buildings or newly constructed ones, exceptions are made for what the public interest necessitates to be removed, and this is to be executed while ensuring compensation for any damages incurred by property owners as a result.

• Property owners shall receive notification, prior to the execution of the designs, specifying the manner of executing such designs, accompanied by a detailed architectural map. Property owners shall be given at least fifteen days to file any objections. Relevant authorities must, before commencing said execution, prepare to compensate the property owners in accordance with this Law.