Source: http://www.rta.ae
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has winded up a vehicular traffic movement plan during Eid al-Fitr holiday to cope with the needs of all community members, provide best-in-class services and enable the public to avail themselves of private/public transit means in a streamlined and hassle-free manner.
Speaking on the occasion, Hussain Al Banna, Director of Traffic at RTA’s Traffic & Roads Agency cum Deputy Head of Traffic Movement Management & Handling of Operational Plans during Annual Events Team, said, “The RTA has finalized the operational plans required to serve passengers during Eid al-Fitr holiday, which witnesses heavy vehicular traffic every year.
The plan’s first target is Dubai Mall area, where the parking spaces opposite to the cinema together with the Trade Center’s yards will be utilized as additional parking spaces in case all Dubai Mall car parks are full. The plan also includes operating Shuttle Bus Service to lift passengers to the mall, besides installing necessary directional signs.”
“Directional signs, added Al Banna, will be set up to guide motorists to use alternative routes within the Business Bay area rather than thronging the Financial Centre Street, in order to ease the traffic pressure on roads network in the area and facilitate vehicles entry and exit to the center. Signalized junctions will also be monitored to ease traffic snarls, especially during evening rush hours in coordination with the management of the Mall and Dubai Police, and providing passengers pick-up and drop-off points for buses & taxi cabs.”
Al Banna also cast light on the Festival City area in terms of traffic light surveillance and control systems in the area as well as in Al Rabat Street to ease the traffic movement. He also revealed that the plan encompasses operating Shuttle Bus Service to transport passengers from the Center to the Emirates Station as an additional transit means, just in case taxi cabs are not available, without missing to keep the public informed of this service.
Concerning Deira City Centre, Emirates Mall and Marina Mall, Al Banna further elaborated, “Traffic light surveillance and control systems will be installed in the surroundings of these centers to facilitate the traffic movement during traffic jams, besides recommending the public to use Dubai Metro to avoid traffic jams, thus sparing themselves the hassles of finding parking spaces.
Environmental Safety
As part of preparations for the reception of Eid al-Fitr, the RTA launched an extensive campaign to ensure the safety of the environment within the Right of Way covering roads, public squares, parking lots, bridges, tunnels and project sites in preparation for Eid al Fitr.
Engineer Nazim Faisal, Director of Roads and Facilities Maintenance at RTA’s Traffic and Roads Agency, said, “The aim of this campaign is to share Eid al-Fitr celebrations with community, and dressing up the city in a way that reflects RTA’s keenness to nurture a clean, healthy & pure environment and exude the satisfaction of residents and visitors, given that Dubai attracts massive numbers of visitors and tourists within the UAE and beyond during festivals and occasions.”
The Director of Roads and Facilities Maintenance further added: “A program is up and running to carry out preventive maintenance and clean-up works around Eid prayer yards, mosques, bridges and tunnels, besides washing main tunnels & bridge rails and removing sand and solid sediment on sidewalks, especially bridge pavements, and pathways, as well as cleaning signage in the emirate’s highways.”
“A team of engineers & technical inspectors from the Roads & Facilities Maintenance Department, in coordination with the Traffic and Roads Departments, conducted a survey to inspect the surroundings of Eid prayer yards and took necessary corrective actions to fix any defects in roads, sidewalks, road surface markings and directional signs, besides ensuring that all road project sites and adjacent areas are clean & free from construction waste, and checking clarity of traffic signals and signs. The survey also verified the availability of equipment required for carrying out maintenance works, safety of road elements and cleanness of underpasses & facilities in different parts of the emirate.”
Timings and Facilities
On the other hand, Adel Shakeri, Director of Transportation Systems at RTA’s Public Transport Agency, said, “During Eid al-Fitr holiday, all franchise companies’ taxi cabs will be running at an operation rate of 95%. We mainly focus on providing vehicles in vital areas such as tourist attractions and shopping malls in Dubai, especially the Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard area. A number of coordinators will be deployed in places designated for taxi cabs in vital areas in order to ease the traffic flow.” He pointed out that about 8000 taxi cabs would be operating in Dubai during Eid al-Fitr holiday, noting that the taxi fleet had been beefed up of late with 100 vehicles.
Shakeri pointed out that the Booking & Dispatch Center would be working day-and-night during Eid holiday, and more staff and technical team cadres would be deployed in order to respond to the needs of the public and ensure service availability around-the-clock.
In the same context, the RTA announced the timings for all its services during Eid al-Fitr holiday, including the customer service centers, paid parking zones, public buses, Dubai Metro, marine transit modes, driving schools & institutes and vehicles inspection & registration.
In this concern, Ahmad Mahboob, Director of RTA’s Customers Service, said, “The customer service centers will close during the Eid al-Fitr holiday as of 29 Ramadan and will reopen on 3 Shawal. All paid parking zones in the Emirate Dubai will be free with the exception of the Fish Market parking lots and the multi-level parking terminals, with effect from 29 Ramadan. The paid parking service will be restored on 3 Shawal.”
He pointed out that “The RTA will extend the Dubai Metro working hours throughout Eid al-Fitr holiday, as of Thursday, 8 August, starting from 05:30 am up to 02:00 am of the following day. On Friday, 9 August, working hours will start from 09:00 am to 02:00 am of the following day, whereas stations will be working on Saturday and Sunday from 5:30 am to 01:00 am of the next day.”
“As for public buses, working hours will be as follows: Public bus stations including key stations such as Gold Souk and Ghubaiba (1 & 2): from 06:00 am to 12:00 am (midnight), Sub-stations such as Satwa, Al Qusais, Al Quoz Industrial and Jebel Ali: from 06:00 am to 10:00 pm.
“As for Metro feeder bus satiations at Rashidiya, Emirates Mall, Ibn Battuta, Abu Hail, Etisalat and Burj Khalifa, service starts from 06:00 am and continues up to 01:00 am past midnight.
“Service timing of commercial buses and inter-city transport will be as follows: Main stations such as Ghubaiba, will offer services around the clock, while sub-stations such as Sabkha and Union Square will offer services from 06:00 am up to 12:00 am (midnight). Deira City Centre and Karama stations will work from 06:00 am to 10:00 pm. External bus stations such as Sharjah (Jubail – Bur Dubai) will offer nonstop services, while Sharjah (Jubail – Deira) and Abu Dhabi will offer services from 06:00 am up to 12:00 am (midnight), and Fujairah, Ajman and Hatta stations will offer services from 06:00 am up to 10:00 pm,” he elaborated.
The Director of Customers Service also detailed the timings of marine transit modes as follows: “The Water Bus (Dubai Creek Stations), will be on service on Thursday and Saturday from 07:00 am to 10:00 pm, but on Friday, the service timing will be from 10:00 am – 12:00 am (midnight). Marine stations will be open on Thursday from 10:00 am to 12:00 am (midnight), but on Friday, the stations will start business from 12:00 midday and continue till 12:00 am (midnight), while on Saturday, the service timing of the stations will be from 12:00 pm (noon) up to 10:00 pm.
“The Water Taxi will offer services from Thursday to Saturday, starting from 09:00 am up to 10:00 pm, while Dubai Ferry will be starting trips on Thursday at 11:00 am, 03.30 pm, 05:00 pm, 07:00 pm. Ghubaiba Station will run Ferry trips on Friday and Saturday at 11:00 am, 02:00 pm, 3.30 pm, 05:00 pm, 06:00 pm, 07:00 pm. Marina Station Ferry timing on Friday and Saturday will start at: 11:00 am, 02:00 pm, 03.30 pm, 05:00 pm, 06:00 pm, 06:30 pm, and 07:00 pm.
“The Water Taxi timings during the Eid al-Fitr holiday start from 09:00 am and continue to 10:00 pm,” continued Mahboob.
The Director of Customer Service further added: “Driving Schools and Centers such as the Emirates Institute, Belhasa Driving Centre, Dubai Centre, Galadari Centre, Al Ahli Centre and Dubai International Centre, will remain closed on the first and second of Shawal, and work will resume on 3 Shawal, whereas the service timing of registration offices at shopping centers will be geared by the timing of the relevant centers.
Concerning vehicle and registration offices, service timings will be as follows: Wasel Vehicles Inspection Center will be closed on 1 and 2 Shawal and work will resume on 3 Shawal. Shirawi, Tamam, Quick and Cars Centers will be closed on 1, 2 & 3 Shawal and work will resume on 4 Shawal, while Mumayaz, Shamel and ENOC Registration Centers will resume their working hours on 4 Shawal, as well.
“Setting service timings for customers is part of RTA’s strategy aimed at rendering world-class services to a broad spectrum of community segments in line with the highest international standards applicable in this field in a way that fulfills the public needs during Eid al-Fitr holiday,” concluded Ahmad Mahboob. More info
