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'Dh8 extra daily': Dubai residents' monthly expenses rise as new Salik toll gates open

The Business Bay Crossing toll gate is expected to impact several routes, including those connecting Sharjah, northern Dubai neighbourhoods, and major business districts

Published: Sun 24 Nov 2024, 2:39 PM

Updated: Sun 24 Nov 2024, 4:08 PM

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The new Salik toll gate on Business Bay Bridge, operational from 12am today, Sunday, has left commuters recalculating their daily travel budgets.

Located on Business Bay Crossing, the toll gate is expected to impact several routes, including those connecting Sharjah, northern Dubai neighbourhoods, and major business districts.

Residents shared mixed reactions as they navigated through the new toll system.

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More expensive commute

Faisal Ahmed, a 35-year-old accountant who lives in Garhoud and works in Business Bay, now finds his daily commute more expensive.

“I didn’t have any Salik gates in between my office and home, and at times I paid for just one Salik gate on some routes. But now, with the Business Bay Bridge gate active, I have to shell out an extra Dh8 every day. That’s more than Dh200 more per month, which is not a small amount,” said Ahmed.

“I tried taking internal roads to avoid Salik, but the traffic and delays make it an unfeasible option. Looks like I’ll just have to adjust my budget for this new expense,” added Ahmed, whose commute takes around 15 minutes each way.

Increased taxi fares

Aysha Nida, a resident of Al Twar, relies on taxis daily to commute to her office in Business Bay. On Saturday, her fare was around Dh60. However, on Sunday, when she had to collect some documents from her office, the fare rose to Dh65.

“Usually, I pass through just one Salik gate at the Airport Tunnel, but today, I had to pass through two, the Airport Tunnel and the new Business Bay gate. The fare increase might seem small, but for someone who travels by taxi every day, this adds up quickly. It’s a significant hit to my monthly expenses,” said Nida.

“I’ll have to consider other ways to reduce costs, but for now, I feel stuck,” she added.

Navigation apps not updated

Syed Saeed, a resident of Al Nahda in Sharjah, found himself caught off guard when he passed through the new Salik gate at the Business Bay Bridge in the early hours of Sunday.

“I usually use Google Maps to navigate and always select the option for routes without tolls. But while travelling to meet friends in Al Jaddaf over a karak, I unknowingly passed through the Business Bay Bridge,” said Saeed.

“I didn’t realise the Salik gate was operational from 12am on Sunday,” he added. “When I checked my Salik account in the morning, I saw that I had been charged for both the onward and return journeys. This is definitely going to add to the cost of my commute.”

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