Dubai - Sun or rain, the duty has to go on and Qadhir says he is used to working outside. "Our cabin was made of wood long back and had window ac at that time. A few years back, the municipality built this new cabin with split AC for us. They are great people," he said.
Published: Thu 14 Jan 2016, 11:00 PM
Last updated: Fri 15 Jan 2016, 4:49 PM
Pakistani expat Qadhir Baloochi has been living in the UAE since 1999. All these years, he has been working with the Dubai Municipality.
After a stint with the Parks Department under the civic body, Qadhir joined the security section handling the huge staff car parking yard at the municipality's headquarters in Deira.
Name: Qadhir Baloochi
Age: 37
Nationality: Pakistani
Occupation: Security guard at Dubai Municipality staff car park
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The 37-year-old father of three kids is in charge of the morning batch of security guards at the parking yard, which is one of the biggest in Dubai.
Now living in Al Qusais, Qadhir drives his 10-year-old Honda car to report at the municipality by 6am. Soon, the early birds among the DM employees start driving in and occupying their slots.
But it is after majority of the staff come in that Qadhir and his colleagues' major work starts. As the parking lots get filled, they need to start regulating the flow of vehicles into the yard.
"When it gets busy we will have to help some people park their cars.... Sometimes we will have to disappoint them by not allowing entry," he said.
Being patient and polite comes in handy in such situations, said Qadhir who has won the civic body's award for the best security guard twice.
Sun or rain, the duty has to go on and Qadhir says he is used to working outside. "Our cabin was made of wood long back and had window ac at that time. A few years back, the municipality built this new cabin with split AC for us. They are great people," he said.
However, there is one day every year when Qadhir has to deviate from the routine job and stop the entry of each and every car coming to the municipality's parking lot - the annual Car Free Day observed by the civic body.
"That day I have to stand near the road and stop any car attempting to come inside. There will be banners also. Nowadays, most people know parking won't be allowed as people are expected to use public transport that day," he said.
Qadhir brings his family here for visiting Dubai whenever he can. "They have come a few times and stayed here for vacation. They love Dubai . I also love Dubai. Everybody flourishes here," he said with a smile.
Qadhir is looking forward to a year full of health and happiness for him and everyone else in Dubai and a new multi-storey car parking facility at the municipality headquarters.
"I don't know when it will happen, but this soil testing going on now is giving us a hope that the municipality will build it soon," he said, showing the men at work near his cabin.
sajila@khaleejtimes.com
Interviewed by Sajila Saseendran. Street talk is a weekly column to get a glimpse of people's lives in UAE.
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