Anarchy on roads forced RTA to restore NOC rule

DUBAI - Environmental issues and increasing traffic chaos made the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to reintroduce the rule requiring all driving licence applicants to produce a no-objection certificate from their employer, said a senior official of the RTA yesterday.

Asma Ali Zain

Published: Fri 6 Oct 2006, 9:33 AM

Last updated: Mon 19 Dec 2022, 12:51 PM

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Sultan Al Khofaili, Director of Licensing Department, RTA, said that the new rule would also enable the authorities to tackle issues relating labour and safety.

It may be recalled here that driving schools all over the emirate recently received a circular from the RTA informing them about the re-introduction of the rule which makes it mandatory for all licence applicants to obtain an NOC from their employer. The new order came into effect from October 1.

“There has been an uncontrolled number of licence holders contributing to traffic chaos and pollution. The rule aims to curb the uncontrolled traffic in the emirate,” the RTA official added.

He also said that the RTA Licensing Department was initiating these measures to improve the traffic situation in Dubai.

“Many licensed drivers/car owners are using their cars to pick up passengers and in this way are contributing to growth of an illegal business.” he added.

Al Khofaili said that several employers had complained that some of their employees absconded after obtaining their driving licence.

“This works to the detriment of the employers/sponsors who pay large sums of money to bring an employee from another country,” he explained.

Dispelling doubts that the public would face problems due to the new rule, Al Khofaili clarified, "It has to be emphasised that public mobility is not an issue as majority of companies provide transportation to their employees.”

However, representatives of driving schools and the public insisted that the rule might not have the desired effect.

Objecting to the new rule, a resident of Dubai, Farah Latif said, “Traffic cannot be controlled this way. There is a need to reduce the rent for taxis and increase public transport."

Echoing the same point of view, another resident, Said Ali Qadir, said: “An employer should not be given authority to decide whether his employee deserves to get a driving licence or not."