Renovations of the bazaar began on Thursday, Governor Omed Khoshnaw said during a press conference.
A large fire tore through Erbil’s Qaysari Bazaar in early May, burning over 200 shops and injuring 132 people. The bazaar, which has more than 4,000 shops, is located near the city’s historic citadel and is a popular tourist destination.
Two firms have been assigned to the renovation project and work should be done in under a year, according to Khoshnaw.
New security measures have also been taken.
“In the framework of protecting the safety and security of civilians, local security forces and the police have installed high quality security cameras and as the renovation continues, we will try to activate the civil defense system,” said Khoshnaw.
A number of shopkeepers have begun rebuilding their stores on their own, expressing frustration with the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) delay in beginning promised renovations.
Khoshnaw said the renovation work will not interfere with shopkeepers who do their own repairs: “Those who attempt to renovate their own shops, as before, will not be prevented from doing so.”
The KRG has previously promised to compensate the shopkeepers for the damage they suffered.
There were existing plans to renovate the bazaar, but they had been delayed due to lack of funds, according to the governor.
Fires are a perennial concern in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq where safety standards are sub-par. Electrical faults and lack of basic safety measures are a major part of the problem.
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani visited the bazaar after the fire, promising to do his best to help the affected people.
“It has happened far too often. We will determine the root cause and strengthen regulation. We will help everyone recover. Together,” he said in a post on X.
A series of large fires have caused serious damage to several popular bazaars in Erbil since the start of the year. Flames have engulfed the popular Langa Bazaar on two separate occasions in February and April, burning down hundreds of shops and causing millions of dollars in damage. Bazaars in Duhok and Kirkuk have also been damaged in recent fires.
