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Parking woes continue in International City
‘No Parking for commercial vehicles’ signages have minimal or no impact; rule breakers will be fined, says Nakheel
Trucks and service vans parked illegally at residential parking slots in International City, Dubai. — Photo by Leslie Pableo
Dubai - The ‘No Parking for Commercial vehicles’ signs are being ignored in International City (IC), according to residents living in the property.
Heavy vehicles, trucks, buses, and sometimes, even school buses are seen parked in various clusters across the residential complex, and residents said that they are finding it impossible to find a parking spot, especially since the onset of Ramadan.
“Finding a parking spot in IC has become a nightmare. I have to spend more than 30 minutes on an average to find a spot. A few nights ago, I spent half an hour to 45 minutes looking for parking,” said Sibte Arif, resident of the England Cluster in IC. “I have two children. One is five and the other two. It was very difficult for me to find a spot with them in the car.”
Heavy commercial vehicles were banned from parking in the residential areas in 2010. Huge signs are also placed across the complex because of resident’s complaints about lack of parking space.
Arif said: “Huge trucks still park their vehicles in the residential spots. A few days ago, I saw a tree uprooted due to a collision with a big bus, and it fell down on a nearby car. The bus did not belong there in the first place and that is what caused the accident.”
Property developers Nakheel clearly said in a statement that the parking of trucks in International City is prohibited, with warning signs in place. “In addition, Dubai Police issue fines for any vehicle illegally parked at the community,” the statement said. However, since 2010 people have continued to ignore it.
Issue of rented cars
The rent-a-car outlets in these clusters add to the woes. “There are a lot of rent-a-car outlets in these clusters and they occupy the parking space of at least 20 cars. The parking lots are made as per the number of apartments in the nearby buildings. Because these lots are illegally occupied, the residents are suffering,” said Sanjay Heerchandani, a resident in the France Cluster of IC.
Another resident of IC, Junaid Jamshed said: “Over the last couple of months, due to desperation, I’ve had to side, and sometimes double park my car in the parking lots, because there is no parking space. Because of this, my car has suffered many minor bumps and scratches.”
Some residents have also suffered fines from the Dubai Traffic Police for illegal parking.
The residents said that they have complained to property owners Nakheel several times to no avail.
A spokesperson for Nakheel Developers told Khaleej Times: “Illegal parking is a challenge facing all communities in Dubai, and we continue to take action to rectify the situation at International City. We continue to liase with the police and explore new ways of overcoming these challenges, and will update residents accordingly.” -dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com
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