Police step in to keep 
Al Warqa in shape

DUBAI — A popular winter retreat for thousands of holidaymakers every year, Al Warqa is often left looking more a construction site than a camp site when the temperatures increase and families pack up.

The mess left behind by those who visit the area has proved to be a bit of a headache for the authorities in Al Warqa but in collaboration with the Dubai Municipality, the Dubai Police have cleaned up the neighbourhood and stamped out the unruly elements and illegal construction and tents left in the area as the summer months draw in.

Makeshift camps set up in Al Warqa desert area in Dubai. — KT photos by M. Sajjad

The clean-up announcement was made by Director of Al Rashidiya police station Colonel Saleh Humaid Al Rahoomi, who said: “Al Warqa is a place thronged by family holidaymakers in winter, where they set up makeshift structures and camps, as it is near the city and residential areas.

“There were some rumours recently about the security of the neighbourhood and the traffic accidents that take place.”

The neighbourhood is safe, and the police and special Criminal Investigation Department (CID) patrols have a strong presence in the area round the clock to prevent any violations.

Colonel Rahoomi said according to the local ordinance on streamlining Al Warqa area, joint meetings were held between the Dubai Municipality and the emirate’s law-enforcement authority represented by the CID.

Practical solutions for all the problems which surfaced in the area, and which might happen in the future, had been laid.

Temporary permits were issued to nationals interested in setting up makeshift structures in winter months, he said, adding that, the permits fix the dates of holding and removing the structures.

As many as 306 applications for obtaining permits to set up the makeshift structures were approved, while 46 were rejected on the grounds that the applicants have criminal records, he said.

Two makeshift structures were removed for not having permits, he said, adding that the neighbourhood takes as many as 500 makeshift structures.

Licences for setting up makeshift structures are granted to Emirati families only, he said, noting that, the new system in which information on applicants are saved in police station’s records helped in eliminating the problems witnessed in the neighbourhood in the past.

The procedures, he said, had contributed to successfully preventing any violations, one of which was witnessed last year when a man was found struggling for life inside one of the makeshift structures after taking an overdose of drugs.

Deputy Director of Al Rashidiya Police Station Colonel Yousouf Al Adeedi cast light on traffic saying that reckless and stunt driving was among the main violations in the area, especially by quad bikes and sports cars.

Police patrols are intensified during holidays especially when the number of people increase from 9pm to 4am, he noted.

A total of 700 cars and quad bikes have been seized since mid-November until now.

Reckless and inconsiderate motorists and riders are not only from Dubai, but also come from other parts of the country too, he said, after quoting statistics in the station. He, however, said traffic accidents and offences had significantly dropped in the neighbourhood. However, one night the police seized 27 motor vehicles for allegedly creating commotion and chaos in the streets of the area.

The total traffic reports in Al Rashidiya stood at 351 last year, resulted in 19 deaths, compared with 350 reports in the preceding year, which resulted in 23 fatalities, he added.

salah@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE