Abu Dhabi - The area between Muroor and Airport Road with settings on either side of Hazza bin Zayed the First Street forms the core of Al Wahda.
Published: Thu 1 Aug 2019, 9:52 PM
Last updated: Thu 1 Aug 2019, 11:55 PM
Al Wahda is a neighbourhood very much in the heart of Abu Dhabi City.
The area between Muroor and Airport Road with settings on either side of Hazza bin Zayed the First Street forms the core of Al Wahda. The district is like an array of multi-coloured beads knitted together, you have sundry apartments, old and new, which bustles with activities every evening, along with numerous restaurants nestled in the area.Within a walkaway are luxury hotels and landmarks like Al Wahda Mall, Al Nahyan Stadium (the home ground of Al Wahda Football Club), Sheikh Khalifa Medical City and the Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station, which connects you to Al Ain, Dubai and Sharjah. There are also schools, mosques, heritage clubs, clinics, recreational centres and more facilities all sandwiched within Al Wahda area.
Mohammad Khalid, a resident for more than a decade, terms Al Wahda as a one-stop-shop of all services. "I used to work in a shop here but two years ago, I got a job in Al Khalidiyah but haven't moved house yet. There is something about Al Wahda. I have many friends here. Every evening, we get together for tea at one of the many restaurants here. There are multiple food options which suit every budget. Also, a mall in the vicinity, which is a one-stop shopping solution, not to mention the mind-blowing discounts and offers. There are friends, food, entertainment options, and I don't think any other place will offer all of this in a bundle."
The interior roads of Al Wahda are quite contrast to the busy main roads, something which another resident Roney Cruz liked the most.
"I happily stay in this place with my family for over seven years. Importantly, I have a parking space. The essentials you need to buy are available on the other side of the road with hypermarket, restaurants and malls. A two-minute walk and you enter a really busy world. Evenings are really busy but we are happy with this community area," Cruz noted.
Many residents noted the transport connectivity from Al Wahda as the X-factor.
Hussain Mahroof said that with toll gates set to come up in November, a place near the bus station was of great value.
"I drive but will rethink when toll gates come up and more importantly where it comes up. Staying near to bus terminal is a great blessing. I never realised the many aspects of Al Wahda which made me stay for so long. This is an awesome place for people from all walks of life. It's a place where you will spontaneously make friends and jam," Mahroof added.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com
'I don't keep count of the bodies I have repatriated'
Abu Dhabi-based Indian expat and social worker Sadik Ali K. is always on the move.
"There are so many deaths reported this year compared to last year. So many youngsters are dying. Death of a near one is the most difficult time any family, relatives or friends can face. On top of it, the paperwork adds to their misery. I try to help out as much as possible with formalities," he said, while helping with paperwork to repatriate a body back to India - a process he has been doing for the last 18 years.
Meet Sadik Ali, who for the last 23 years has been working at the cargo section of a travel agency in Abu Dhabi. In the first few years, Sadik handled the repatriation of bodies and realised the helplessness and agony of near ones.
"Depending on the cause of death, it can take up to a week for the body to get necessary approvals for repatriation. It is a tough phase for any close one to endure. In the first few years at my job, I understood the big task of paperwork involved - the many government departments, forensics, hospitals, airport, mortuary etc. Such running around isn't easy for a commoner to follow, especially when someone has lost a near one. All of us are prepared to face for any other situation but death. By 2000, when I had enough experience and know-how, I helped a person with the paperwork of his dead relative. Afterward, my contact details began to circulate among those looking for help. And calls haven't stopped so far," said Sadik, who hails from Malappuram district of Kerala. His job profile helped him reach as many people as possible.
"We handle cargo for Air India and 10 other international airlines. This made me get involved in as many cases as possible."
He recollected that initially there were many people and associations which would get involved when there was a death. "I developed contacts which also helped."
Even as he keeps a low profile, Sadik has been honoured by Indian politicians, including Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament. "I am doing my duty and helping people in need. I don't keep count of the number of bodies I have repatriated so far. I am happy receiving blessings from people as the body is flown back."
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com
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