Riyadh sets Ramadan hours for Madinty

Riyadh Region Municipality has announced revised working hours for its “Madinty” offices during Ramadan, setting operations from 9:30am to 3:30pm, Sunday to Thursday, as part of a broader effort to maintain municipal services while accommodating the holy month’s schedule.

The adjustment, effective throughout Ramadan, applies to all Madinty branches across the capital’s five municipal sectors. Officials said the move is designed to ensure continuity of services for residents and visitors, while aligning staff hours with the reduced working day typically observed during the fasting month in the Kingdom.

Madinty offices function as decentralised service hubs for the Riyadh Region Municipality, handling a range of municipal transactions that include licensing procedures, building permits, commercial activity approvals, inspection follow-ups and the processing of various citizen requests. By consolidating services at neighbourhood-level centres, the initiative aims to reduce congestion at central headquarters and improve accessibility for residents.

Municipal authorities indicated that the 9:30am to 3:30pm window was chosen to balance operational efficiency with the daily rhythm of Ramadan, when working patterns across the public sector shift to shorter hours. In Saudi Arabia, government entities commonly adopt reduced schedules during the holy month, reflecting both labour regulations and social practice.

Riyadh, home to more than seven million people, experiences significant shifts in activity during Ramadan. Daytime administrative work is typically compressed, while commercial and social life intensifies after sunset. Municipal service providers must therefore recalibrate staffing, inspection rounds and customer service operations to meet altered demand patterns.

The Riyadh Region Municipality has been expanding digital and in-person service channels as part of a wider transformation drive aligned with Vision 2030. Madinty offices represent one strand of that effort, designed to decentralise governance and streamline administrative processes. The offices are distributed across the north, south, east, west and central municipal sectors of the capital, enabling residents to access services closer to their homes.

Officials emphasised that the adjusted hours would not affect the municipality’s field operations, including sanitation, waste management and infrastructure maintenance, which continue under separate operational schedules. Such services typically intensify during Ramadan evenings, when public spaces, markets and recreational areas see heavier footfall.

Municipal services in Riyadh have undergone sustained reform over the past decade, with authorities introducing e-permitting platforms, unified inspection systems and mobile applications that allow residents to submit complaints and track requests electronically. The Madinty model complements these digital tools by offering face-to-face support for complex procedures or cases requiring documentation review.

Urban planning analysts note that Riyadh’s administrative demands have grown alongside rapid population expansion and infrastructure projects. Major developments such as the Riyadh Metro network, new housing districts and mixed-use commercial zones have increased the volume of permits and regulatory oversight required from municipal bodies. Service centres like Madinty are intended to absorb that growth in demand while reducing processing times.

During Ramadan, service centres across the Kingdom typically adapt to shorter shifts in line with civil service guidelines, which stipulate reduced daily hours for public employees observing the fast. Private-sector entities often follow similar patterns, though working times may vary by industry. For municipalities, the challenge lies in maintaining service standards amid compressed schedules.

Riyadh Region Municipality stated that clear operating hours would facilitate smoother reception of visitors and ensure that transactions are completed within defined timeframes. Authorities urged residents to plan visits within the announced schedule and to use available digital platforms for preliminary submissions where possible.

Observers say that predictable service windows are particularly important during Ramadan, when citizens balance work, worship and family commitments. Administrative efficiency during this period can help prevent bottlenecks and support commercial continuity, especially for businesses requiring permit renewals or compliance approvals.

The capital’s municipal framework forms part of a broader governance structure overseen by the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing, which coordinates policy across regions. Riyadh’s scale and strategic importance often place it at the forefront of administrative reform initiatives.