Motorists are warned over parking illegally

DUBAI - Blocking of free parking spaces anywhere in the emirate is illegal and strict action will be taken against those violating the law, said an official at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

Asma Ali Zain

Published: Wed 30 Aug 2006, 8:45 AM

Last updated: Mon 19 Dec 2022, 12:54 PM

Several residents of Dubai, especially Karama, said that free parking space in the area was being blocked as people parked their old cars that were no longer in a working condition for long periods of time.

“This leads to traffic being blocked and the free space is also occupied illegally for an endless time period,” said Abdul Kader, a resident of Karama.

He also pointed out that sometimes double parking and side parking also created endless traffic jams. “Even emergency vehicles like police cars, ambulances, and cars used to make visits to supermarkets block the roads,” he added.

Kader requested the authorities to draw a yellow line after a gap of one vehicle parking space to facilitate side parking of emergency vehicles.

Mehdi Ali Redha, Parking Director RTA, said, “This is illegal. Public parking slots cannot be encroached upon in this fashion. Strict action will be taken against those violating the law.”

Officials at Dubai Roads and Transport Authority, which took over the responsibility from the Dubai Municipality a few months ago, pointed out that steps are being taken to make things easier for motorists, on and off the road.

Recently the RTA announced plans to construct as many as seven multistorey car parks in various parts of the CBDs as a major initiative to increase the parking capacity of the city. An official pointed out that a problem of this magnitude cannot be solved overnight and people will have to bear the situation at least till solutions are fully implemented.

Another development in this regard is an initiative from the civic body is the region’s first robotised parking lot. The robotic parking facility is under trial for six months during which it would be used exclusively by civic employees during office hours. If the facility is found to be efficient and successful, similar systems of larger capacity would be installed at various important locations in Dubai.