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Traffic congestion

In spite of the fantastic infrastructure still the traffic congestion has not come down in Dubai. I shuttle between AL Quoz and Sharjah on a daily basis.

Daily travelling has now become a nightmare. Before the advent of flyovers on the Al Khail Road, there were traffic signals, which regulated the traffic on all the four directions to some extent. With the introduction of flyovers, it is now free for all on the Al Khail Road. Cars fly like flights and congregate near the Airport Tunnel and from there the procession starts.

It takes 30 to 40 minutes to cross the cave to see the natural light at the end of the tunnel. Earlier it was hardly 10 minutes drive through.

I have a suggestion to make. The city has to be divided into different office time zones and private sector companies may be advised to follow them. For example: the timings for Jebel Ali, DIP and Al Quoz area 6.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m, companies in Jumeirah, Bur Dubai Karama and Satwa 7.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m, companies in Aweer, Ras Al Khor and Rashidiya 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m and offices in Deira, Al Qusais and Garhoud 9.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

The weekly holidays of private sector need not match government sector. If government closes on Fridays and Saturdays, private sector may close on Thursdays and Fridays to ease the congestion on the roads. Or the city may be divided into two zones for private sector companies – one zone may have weekly holidays on Thursdays and Fridays and the other on Fridays and Saturdays.

The new Saliks on Mamzar and Rashidiya-Airport Tunnel may lead to heavy congestion not only on the erstwhile Emirates Road (Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road), but also on the inner-roads that lead to Sharjah and elsewhere.