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Dubai’s Salik to manage parking across 3 free zones
Dubai's exclusive toll gate operator will cover more than 21,000 parking spaces at Dubai Airport Freezone, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai CommerCity
- PUBLISHED: Thu 16 Jul 2026, 10:36 AM UPDATED: Thu 16 Jul 2026, 11:40 AM
Salik Company on Thursday said it signed an agreement (MoU) with Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) to roll out access control and parking management systems across three of Dubai’s free zones.
Under the agreement, Salik will deploy its barrierless technology across Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZ), Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) and Dubai CommerCity (DCC), covering more than 21,000 parking spaces.
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The partnership targets two persistent pain points for free zone operators: traffic bottlenecks along key corridors and the misuse of designated parking areas.
Salik’s systems are expected to ease congestion and improve space utilisation across DIEZ’s economic zones.
For DIEZ, the tie-up plugs into its wider push to modernise infrastructure and align with the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which aims to cement the emirate's status as a global business and investment hub.
“This agreement reflects Salik's strategic ambition to expand its role as an integrated mobility solutions provider, leveraging partnerships to deliver enhanced operational outcomes... This initiative also marks the launch of a new smart mobility vertical for Salik, reinforcing our contribution to Dubai's vision for intelligent, connected infrastructure,” said Ibrahim Sultan Al Haddad, CEO of Salik.
Eng. Muammar Al Katheeri, Chief Officer of Engineering and Sustainability at DIEZ, said the move builds on its digital transformation drive.
“Our collaboration with Salik reflects DIEZ’s ongoing commitment to adopting advanced digital solutions and forging strategic partnerships that contribute to delivering more efficient and seamless services for businesses operating within our economic zones,” he said.
Both parties will now assess deeper technical integration between their platforms, with the goal of tighter flow management and unified access control standards across the three free zones, a step Salik and DIEZ say will pair commercial growth with operational efficiency.
Salik, listed as a public joint stock company since June 2022, currently runs 10 toll gates across Dubai, including on Sheikh Zayed Road. It holds exclusive rights to operate the emirate's toll infrastructure under a 49-year RTA concession running to 2071.
Earlier this month, Salik partnered with Shamal to introduce seamless parking payments at Dubai Harbour's new multi-storey Harbour West Car Park, allowing motorists to pay parking fees directly through their Salik accounts without the need for tickets, cash or traditional payment methods.
The agreement took effect on July 13 and will see Salik provide its digital payment solution at the new facility in collaboration with Parkonic, as the toll operator continues expanding its services beyond road toll collection.
In May, Dubai’s sole toll gate operator announced that it will implement a five per cent value-added tax (VAT) on toll tariffs and tag activation fee.
“The VAT amount will be remitted to the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations in the UAE,” the company said.
