E-registration for car-free day 4 times more than 2013

Two UAE ministers and top officials of government departments led thousands of Dubai residents in leaving their cars at home and taking public transport to work on Wednesday, Dubai Municipality’s fifth Car Free Day.

Major-General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Hussain Nasser Lootah and other officials travelling by the Dubai Metro on Car Free Day on Wednesday. — KT Photo by Juidin Bernarrd

Director General of Dubai Municipality, Hussain Nasser Lootah, was joined by senior officials of various departments in riding the metro from the Etisalat station to the Union station next to the municipality’s headquarters.

They included Minister for Environment and Water, Dr Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad; Minister of Education, Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qattami; Dubai Police Commander-in-Chief Major-General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina; Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority Mohammed A Ahli, and Executive Director of the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Service Khalifa bin Al Drai.

Lootah said the aim of the day was to encourage people, especially those commuting between just two points — home and office — to use public transport to save the environment from pollution.

“We want everyone to think about Dubai’s environment, the increasing number of cars, and take steps to make a difference. It’s everybody’s responsibility. We want people to move away from their iPads and other gadgets and walk. Using public transport is good not only for the environment; it is good for health, also,” he said urging people to make use of the jogging tracks and exercise machines in Dubai parks.

The bicycle rally held by the Dubai Municipality staff as part of the Car Free Day activities on Wednesday. — KT photo by Juidin Bernarrd

"We are extremely happy to see the tremendous public response from individuals and companies. Every year, we are getting more participation and support from all segments of the society in the emirate of Dubai. This year the online registration itself was four times of last year which crossed 4,000 entries. This is apart from thousands of employees who have participated without online registration,” Lootah said.

A national drive Dubai’s Car Free Day initiative may be extended to all over the UAE with the Environment Minister supporting the idea to make it a national drive. Responding to a question by Khaleej Times, Dr Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, Minister for Environment and Water, said on Wednesday that he would support the idea of taking the initiative to all the emirates. “We have a plan … we hope to do that … I will take your suggestion to (make it a national level initiative),” he said after riding the Dubai Metro to take part in Dubai Municipality’s fifth Car Free Day. “There are other green initiatives in other emirates. But this is a very good initiative that encourages people to change their behaviour...and encourage people to use mass transportation to reduce pollution. I support the idea to take it to the national level. It will help reduce our ecological footprint.” The Director-General of Dubai Municipality Hussain Nasser Lootah said: “We are part of the UAE and the environment here is not just for Dubai. It is for the whole of UAE that we must protect it.” The minister said the UAE needs such green drives to create awareness on serious environmental issues. He added that the authorities are encouraging hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles to reduce pollution. The CEO of Public Transport at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Dr Yousif Al Ali said he would look into the possibility of making public transport free of charge on Car Free Day. “We have the annual Free Public Transport Day and that also aims to encourage people to use Metro and buses.” sajila@khaleejtimes.com

“In coming years, we will work to widen the participation with more government and private entities to get the maximum result. Our primary aim of launching this initiative is to create public awareness on the importance of saving our environment by reducing the carbon emission using all possible ways in our day-today life, as well as to promote public transportation to solve the traffic congestion that we face every day.”

Today with the latest technologies, Lootah noted that people sit with their iPads and laptops and they don’t move. “We want everyone also to try and prevent the number of cars in the street. We don’t want individual movement, we want mass movement.”

As many as 65 entities from the public and private sectors took part in this year’s Car Free Day, making it the biggest green drive in the emirate. The municipality estimates about 9000 people to have ditched their cars today, reducing more than 20 tons of CO2 emission. The exact figures would be announced later.

The civic body had announced that 100 participants who registered online stand a chance to win a sports bicycle. Spreading the message of the initiative, 100 employees of the municipality from engineers and public relations officers to office boys and cleaners participated in a 3.5km bicycle rally from Deira City Centre to the DM headquarters.

sajila@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE