By Shveta Pathak, Staff Reporter www.gulfnews.com
Dubai: Private organisations will also observe ‘Car Free Day’ from next year as Dubai Municipality plans to reach out to people across various segments to do their bit for the environment and support its initiative.
“Next year we will reach out to the private sector. Some companies have already shown interest in participating and have contacted us. We want everyone to participate,” Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of Dubai Municipality, told Gulf News.
Lootah, along with officials from 19 government departments, took the Dubai Metro to work yesterday morning. The civic body director-general boarded the Metro from Etisalat Metro Station and was accompanied by Humaid Mohammad Obaid Al Qutami, Minister of Education, and heads of several other departments.
While many officials started from Etisalat Station, taking the Green Line, some also joined on the way and alighted at the Union Square Metro Station where an environment exhibition was organised. CNG and electric powered cars were showcased.
More than 3,500 people are estimated to have left their cars home and used public transport yesterday.
Great experience
Lootah said: “It was a great experience, it was quite convenient to take the Metro. A large number of government officials and employees joined us. Last year, we had only about four departments apart from the municipality, but this time it is 19, which shows the enthusiasm and also environmental consciousness.”
“I parked my car near the Metro station and took the train. I realised that not only did it save me the stress of driving in the early morning and the traffic that one meets on the way, I felt it is quite practical to use public transport,” said a government employee.
“Especially for people whose workplaces are close to a Metro station, it does not require much effort,” said Naseem, a municipality employee. More info
