The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded two contracts for the construction of new roads in Al Qusais and Al Quoz costing Dh38 million, which form part of the first phase of its five-year Dh1-billion project to improve roads in the residential areas in the emirate.

The move comes as the RTA tries to improve its road network in an effort to meet the demands of Dubai’s growing demography.

The project, known as the RTA’s five-year Internal Roads Construction Plan, will be built in Al Qusais 3 and Al Quoz 4.

“The two projects represent the initial phase of the five-year plan endorsed by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for paving internal roads in several residential districts in Dubai at a cost of about Dh1 billion.

“The initial phase of the plan covers five residential communities namely: Hatta and Al Qusais 3 in addition to Al Quoz 2, 3 and 4,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the board and Executive Director of the RTA.

The construction in Al Qusais 3 involves an area of 225 hectares and will entail six kilometres of roads being built alongside streetlights and parking lots catering to the mosques and schools in the area. Construction is set to begin in June and will take nine months to complete, Al Tayer said.

Similarly, the project in Al Quoz 4 involves adding another eight kilometres of roads, streetlights, parking spaces and storm-water drainages. The Al Quoz 4 project is expected to be completed in the first half of 2013.

Earlier this month, the RTA awarded another construction contract in Al Warqaa 1, 2, 3 and 4, which includes building street lights along a 125-kilometre stretch of road and improving existing roads. More info

DUBAI – Charanga, a kids fashion brand from Spain, on Tuesday made UAE foray by opening its first outlet at the Dubai Mall.

The Spanish brand, which has over 250 stores across the globe, in partnership with Liwa Trading Enterprises, will launch 30 outlets in the GCC region during next three years.

“We are going to open six more stores in Gulf by the end of this year to introduce our brand in the region,” Manuel De La Maza Ramos, general manager and a major shareholder of Charanga, told Khaleej Times at the inaugural ceremony.

Headquartered in Andalusia with a state-of-the-art facility in Technological Park, Malaga, Charanga has established itself as a recognised brand within the children’s fashion industry. The Spanish firm aims to bring its fun and quality clothing to make its mark in the region’s growing retail space. It offers a wide range of collection and caters to the age group of 0-14 for all occasions.

Aniss Baobied, general manager of Liwa Trading Enterprises, cut the ribbon to inaugurate the Charanga first outlet in the region. He said Liwa Trading Enterprises plans to introduce seven more international brands in the UAE this year.

“Charanga stands for quality and comfort, while making sure that every child is dressed appropriately for every occasion. The brand’s quality has ensured it a leader in its home market, and we believe that Charanga will easily find its success in the UAE as well,” he said.

Ramos said Charanga adopts an aggressive strategy to expand in international markets especially in the Middle East. “The region is very attractive and competitive market for retail business. The region has set a new benchmark for quality and style globally,” he said. More info

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) recently awarded a contract for designing and constructing 13 pedestrian overpasses, costing Dh45 million, in Dubai. The project is supposed to be completed within eight months.

Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA Mattar Al Tayer announced that once it is completed, the number of pedestrian overpasses in the emirate will rise from 74 to 87, including the 34 footbridges of the metro stations.

The overpasses include a 100 metre-long bridge across Emirates Road (near Fruits and Vegetables Market), and a 86 metre-long bridge near workers’ accommodation in Al Qusais as well as several bridges stretching 40 to 75 metres across Al Mina Street (near Dubai Ports and Customs), Shaikh Rashid Street (near Deira City Center), Umm Suqeim Street (near Mall of the Emirates), Al Wuhaida Street, Amman Street (near Lulu Village), Latifa bint Hamdan Street (near Gulf Center), Al Mankhool Street (between Shaikh Rashid Street and Kuwait Street), Al Rasheed Street (near Jesco Supermarket), Abu Baker Al Siddique Street (near Al Qabael Center), Al Khaleej Street (near Deira Palm Metro Station), and Jebel Ali Industrial Area Street (near the workers’ accommodation).

“Besides constructing safe pedestrian crossings, the RTA has rolled out a host of initiatives to improve traffic safety, including running awareness campaigns, setting up fences to prevent pedestrian crossing from dangerous spots of road network, providing more than 100 pedestrian crossings, installing traffic calming means, and setting up of cautionary signs in the vicinity of 300 schools, mosques and hospitals,” said Al Tayer. More info

DUBAI – It will be smooth sailing for Water Taxi commuters with two more stations coming up at Rixos, The Palm Hotel, and Dubai Marina Mall.

Water Taxi in Dubai

This will bring the total number of stations to 25, said the Public Transport Agency at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on Monday.

The new Station 56 of the Rixos, The Palm Hotel, and Station 57 of the Dubai Marina Mall were opened because of the large number of visitors to these areas, said the RTA.

“Adding two new stations to the Water Taxi’s route fulfils the vision the agency is seeking to realise in expanding the reach of mass transit systems in general and marine transport in particular, in order to make them the first mobility choice of the entire community members,” said Essa Abdul Rahman Al Dosari, CEO of the RTA Public Transport Agency.

He said water taxi fares are affordable, offers privacy for passengers, and has a capacity to house up to 10 passengers. ‘‘Besides, it offers a dedicated compartment for special needs, luxurious setting and stunning panoramic water view away from roads’ congestion hassles,’’ he said.

“The agency opted to communicate with the community in a bid to provide mass transit services by coordinating with selected entities the provision of designated places in mass transit modes; be it marine modes or public buses, based on the numbers of people visiting these places, accessibility to such places and the need for the provision of all transit means,”

Al Dosari said the RTA has been keen on achieving multi-modal integration of all mass transit means by integrating all the Metro stations on the Red and Green Lines with the marine transit stations and public buses. More info

Officials said the move was aimed at ‘forcing’ taxi drivers to pick up pre-booked customers and improve service as well as increase their incomes. On an average, 15,000 customers pre-book taxis daily. Pre-booked taxis account for five per cent of total taxi users.

Dubai Taxi

The revised flag-down rate is applicable only on taxis being booked through the RTA’s Booking and Dispatch Centre during morning rush hours from 7 to 10am and evening rush hours from 4 to 8pm from Saturday to Wednesday. On Thursdays, Fridays, Eids, official holidays and official events, the new fare will  be applicable from 4pm to midnight only.

“Taxi drivers have lots of choices. Despite being fined, nobody wants to pick up pre-booked customers when they can easily find someone on the road,” said Essa Abdul Rahman Al Dosari, CEO of the RTA Public Transport Agency.

“The rise in the fare will boost the income of the drivers and also make more taxis available at the dispatch centre,” he said.

He also said the RTA had taken the decision after conducting a number of studies and field surveys to review the cab drivers’ daily work issues as well as to seek ways to improve services to customers.

“Normal booking fares of Dh6 will apply during other times,” he explained. The decision will be applicable to taxicabs run by the Dubai Transport Corporation as well as franchise companies.

“The decision will also minimise cabbies reluctance to pick up passengers,” he added.

Residents, however, were sceptical of the decision. “It is not easy to find a taxi during peak hours and many times I have had to walk home. Sometimes, I book a taxi but now that too will be more expensive,” said a schoolteacher who works in Qusais. More info

DUBAI – The Roads and Transport Authority, or RTA, stated that the Dubai Metro project, since operated in 2009, has had a positive contribution to the appreciation of the value of lands and commercial properties in the vicinity of the metro stations as well as areas linked by the feeder bus service by as much as 7 to 34 per cent.

Dubai Metro

Abdul Mohsin Younes,  CEO of RTA Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector said: “The RTA Strategic Planning Department  studied the impact of the metro stations on the surrounding lands  and  properties in coordination with the Dubai Real Estate Regulatory Agency, or RERA, which provided the data about the rates of lands  and properties in  areas close or far from the metro stations.”

The study revealed that the  value of lands  and properties adjacent to the metro stations has soared  since the operation of the metro and reached in some cases up to 34 per cent as a  result of the high demand for buying lands  and renting properties in close  proximity to the metro stations.

This  is attributed to the ease of  mobility, and the provision of multi transit options at lower costs of  transit aboard the Dubai Metro, which is characterised by absolute minimal  fares and high efficiency across the city, particularly for those  inhabiting near the metro stations.

“This explains the huge impact of the  transit network on the economy of the emirate, and reflects the importance  of the metro in pushing up the economic development drive in the field of  property development, and stimulating the tourist and commercial movement in  various parts of the Dubai. The study monitored the changes in rates of these lands and commercial  properties in 2011 compared to the rates prevailing in 2009 before the  opening of the metro; which illustrate the importance of the Metro in  boosting the market value of lands  and properties, particularly in the  surrounds of the metro stations.

“A comparative study with the experiments of countries which have made  advanced progresses in mass transit systems, particularly the metro, such  as the UK, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, and the USA, revealed that public  transit means in general have a positive impact on appreciating the value  and rents of properties, and that such rates made remarkable hikes ranging  from 3 to 50 per cent,” added Younes.

“In less than 3 years, the Dubai Metro has generated high economic returns  highlighted by its ability of enhancing the competitiveness of the emirate  as regards the attraction of commercial activities as well as the local  and  international events spanning conferences, sports events, and cycling  races. Moreover, it contributed to augmenting the revenues of the Emirate  generated by advertising activities, naming of stations and leasing of  commercial outlets,” concluded Younes.  More info 

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DUBAI – Dubai Metro is on the fast track to financial viability and is expected to break even in five years, while the bus system operated by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is expected to recover costs in 2016.

Dubai Metro

This follows a massive rise in passenger numbers and savings in the operations of the mass transit system. The public transport system has cut Dh1.5 billion in costs, according to the RTA.

“The RTA is envisaging the Dubai Metro to reach the break-even point in 2017, which would be possible through increased metro ridership, and augmented revenues generated from stations naming rights, advertisements and rental of retail outlets,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman and Executive Director of the authority.

For public buses, the RTA “anticipates to reach the break-even point in 2016 through attracting more passengers, raising the operational capacity, and raising revenues from miscellaneous sources”.

Al Tayer was speaking at the MetroRail 2012 Conference being held in London. The four-day conference concludes today. Of the Dh1.55 billion saved in operating costs, Dh1.423 billion was from Dubai Metro and about Dh86 million from the bus system.

Dubai Metro revised some contracts and policies in its efforts to bring down costs. Optimal use of spare parts contributed to realising the saving goals.

Some buses were rerouted, some routes were merged and this helped further reduce fuel costs, the RTA chairman said.  The Automated Vehicle Management system implemented in 2007 ensured that buses are running on time.

“From inception, the RTA had been confronted with a host of challenges at the top of which was the hiring of competent administrative and technical staff and sorting out the traffic congestion which cost the emirate then about Dh4.8 billion per annum in terms of time wasted,” said Al Tayer.

People using the public transport modes are growing as the metro and buses expand their reach. In the 2005-2011 period, it jumped 109 per cent, rising from 91 million passengers in 2005 to more than 190 million last year.

This improved the share of public transport in travel from 6 per cent in 2006 to 10 per cent in 2011, said the RTA chairman.

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DUBAI – The Licensing Agency at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, has launched a new service to simplify vehicle transfer transactions within the UAE.

Motorists will no longer have to apply for transfer plates and will instead be issued with a certificate online. Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, CEO of RTA Licensing Agency, said the new system will speed up the process of transferring the registration of a vehicle.

“The new service enables customers to forgo the issuance of transfer plates and suffice by the issuance of a transfer certificate, without temporary plates as was the case before, since this service has become available to all traffic departments of the UAE, thanks to the online link with the federal traffic system. Accordingly, such vehicle plates will be abolished from the category of private plates in the emirate to which the vehicle is transferred. This will simplify the service, slash the costs of issuing transfer plates, enable the tracking of the transaction, and eliminate offences.”

DUBAI — Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority opened today, the 20th edition of the Dubai International Boat Show.

Thousands of visitors attended the first day of the show, where 430 yachts and boats are on parade, at the Dubai Marine Sports Club. The show features over 20 superyachts, 33 regional launches and 9 global premieres from some of the most prestigious names in the boating industry.

This year, the largest and most successful event of its kind in the Middle East will see exhibitors from new countries such as Austria, Cyprus, Egypt, Hong Kong, Madagascar, Poland, and Tunisia.

“We are extremely grateful to H.H. Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum for his continued support and presence here today on the 20^th Anniversary of the Dubai International Boat Show,” said Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO, Dubai World Trade Centre, organiser of the event.

“Over the last two decades, the Dubai International Boat Show has served as a key business driver for the marine sector boosting the regional industry. The impressive evolution and growth of the show from an event focused on the UAE boating market to the leading maritime industry event in the Middle East and one of the most lucrative in the international arena, supports the ideal platform that Dubai offers for global trade and business opportunities,” Almarri added.

Among those taking centre stage this year are Gulf Craft, a leading UAE-based manufacturer, unveiling a 135 foot superyacht at the show this year, and Sunseeker launching 63 and 65 foot yachts; Samawy Marine which launched the Samawy Marine 44 and Koot Yachts who launched the Koot 54, among others.

This year the Dubai International Boat Show hosts a record number of 11 Superyacht Builders Association (SYBAss) members, the most respected and exclusive superyacht association globally. Among the prized names, Abeking & Rasmussen, AMELS, Benetti, CRN, Feadship, Fincantieri, Heesen Yachts, Lurssen, Oceanco, San Lorenzo, and Trinity Yachts, will showcase their latest yacht models and designs in the dedicated SYBAss Pavillion.

186 new exhibitors join Dubai International Boat Show stalwarts, including Al Shaali, Aquaspeed, ART Marine, Azimut, Cummins, Emirates Boats, Gulf Craft –celebrating their30th anniversary – Heinen & Hopman, Princess Yachts, Sunseeker, and Westport.

Saeed Hareb, Senior Advisor, Dubai International Boat Show said: “Dubai is increasingly becoming a top destination for the leisure marine community and the Dubai International Boat Show plays a leading role in that success. The number of launches and international exhibitors supports testament to that and we look forward to welcoming the tens of thousands of visitors and new boating enthusiasts that make this such a special event”.

Other key segments of the show include the Marina Display Area, comprising of the largest on-water display in the Middle East; the Luxury Supplies & Services housing the finest luxury boat builders from around the world; and Equipment Supplies & Services, an indoor area filled with exhibitors specialising in products essential to the supply and servicing of the leisure marine industry.

Following last year’s success, 2012 will see the return of the hugely popular Supercar Promenade where visitors will be able to get behind the wheel of some of the world’s fastest and most expensive cars – such as Bentley Continental Series 51, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, and Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coup? – all of which can be purchased at the show and driven off the site. Visitors can also enjoy the exclusive opportunity to see the world’s only Alpha Romeo of its kind, and meet and greet the Chief designer from STILE BERTONE at this year’s Supercar Promenade.

The Dive Middle East Exhibition (DMEX), the only dedicated diving exhibition in the region, in association with Emirates Diving Association, will bring together international manufacturers and local suppliers of sub-aqua diving equipment and services, with live demonstrations and daily ‘try-a-dive’ sessions.

As part of the 20^th anniversary celebration, The World of Yachts Recognition Awards 2012 will take place alongside the Dubai International Boat Show. The awards celebrate the people and companies behind the region’s exceptional marine industry and champion the very best achievements.

Hosted at the Al Koufa Fort, One&Only Royal Mirage, the awards ceremony is organised by the Arab Marine Industries Association and co-hosted by the World of Yachts and Boats magazine and the Dubai World Trade Centre. This year’s 20^th edition will celebrate the rich history and incredible growth of the regional maritime industry, bringing together the who’s who of the industry from five continents.

Competitions and prize giveaways including a spectacular, fully-equipped 22-foot fishing boat built by Al Shaali Marine, will be running throughout the show, with the popular feature ‘Heritage Village’ presented by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing providing an experiential glimpse back in time to Dubai’s rich history of maritime culture.

Dubai International Boat Show 2012 runs from March 13 – 17, 2012 at the Dubai International Marine Club – Mina Seyahi and will open to trade visitors and the general public from 3:00pm – 9:30pm daily.

DUBAI – Twenty-three-year-old Marwa Abdullah, a UAE national, is ready to take up any job that comes her way. She has been working with the Dubai Metro for the last 10 months and is desperate for a shift in career due to the odd working hours with the Metro.

An Emirati fills an online job application form at Careers UAE . — KT photo by Rahul Gajjar

Marwa is only one among the several young Emirati women who are walking into Careers UAE 2012 looking for a fresh start and newer opportunities.

Emirati youth, both men and women are heading out to the three-day career fair in the hopes of a job offer. The candidates are walking in with high expectations, but at the same time are sceptical about the offers that come their way.

Most of them are hoping for a career in the government sector considering easier work timings and ‘more holidays’. Abdullah went on to add: “I am a girl, it’s not appropriate for me to work in shifts. My family does not approve of it”

In view of these issues, Universities are inviting applications for vacancies for both teaching and non-teaching faculty. Professor Ashly H Pinnington, Dean, Faculty of Business at the British University in Dubai opined that there is limited aspiration among nationals to embark on a career in teaching. “There are a lot of opportunities for students in the education sector. The obvious qualification for a career in education is an MEd (Masters in Education). But from what I have noticed, most Emirati’s choose to do a degree in business since they prefer a government job over one in the private sector,” added Pinnington.

The British University in Dubai offers two courses in case the student wants a career in teaching. One is a one-two year long MEd, and the other being a four year long Educational doctorate. Even though the courses are extremely popular in the University, there are very few Emiratis who take up these courses. Pinnington said that the reason why a career in education is less attractive maybe because the rewards are less immediate, attractive.

Amna Al Mazam, the Dean of Health Sciences and Student Development Department said: “In the last few years, interest towards a teaching profession has increased. The number has been very small but we have several vacancies, both for teaching and non-teaching staff, open at the moment”.

Also, a senior HR Manager from the United Arab Emirates University said that with recent funding from the government, several positions have been opened for Emirati students. The positions include those of a library director and several coordinator positions.

For a job seeker like Abdullah who has been sending her CV out to all government firms, she says that there has been no response from any of the companies. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and has completed several internship projects with the RTA, Dubai Summer Surprises as well as the Dubai Customs. “See, I am young and I am willing to experiment at the moment. I don’t want to settle into anything. But at the same time, I need a job that offers me flexible work timings. I am willing to look into something in the education sector, as well.”

Amal Juma, a 21-year-old graduate said, “I want a government job. It’s much easier and work timings are more flexible. But no, I am not interested in a career in teaching”.

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