Dubai: Both owners and tenants were surprised to find out that a regular sandy plot had been turned into a paid parking lot.

The directive was made to be effective from January 13th, abolishing any kind of free parking in that region, called the JLT embankment. Occupants living in the area were taken aback by the sudden change of affairs; they had been so used to parking without having to pay anything, the new arrangements raised a lot of confusion.

Especially during the morning rush hour, people were met with long, stagnant trails of cars blocking the road, and precious time wasted for motorists in trying to find any available space. This raised questions over the validity of this decision, and the apparent lack of insight behind it.

However, the DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre) – the free zone authority responsible for JLT – made their statement to Gulf News, being precise with their decision: “The main reason for introducing the management of the sand plot areas is to ensure that clear access to the back of the building for emergency access is maintained. Parking permits will be issued to individuals for a single vehicle use.” They further explained that this action had been taken to solve problems of health, access and safety due to free parking.

Veneet Mohan, managing director of the Oakfield Early Learning Centre, expressed his concern over this decision by the DMCC. He noted how monetising the parking lot made it difficult for parents to pick their children during peak hours; furthermore, he highlighted the importance of connecting parking spaces for the safety of children:

“Safety of our children is a concern as the spaces adjoining our parking will be rented out to office users,” he stated. “I have concerns both as a business owner and a resident, as parents who have to suffer long waits to drop off or pick up their kids would get frustrated and go elsewhere.”

Oakfield Early Learning Centre remedied this problem the best they could by fixing 21 available parking spaces for parents. There was no need to pay, making it easier for parents to pick and drop their children from the daycare centre with no hassle, even during busy hours. In this way, the nursery from JLT placed its students’ safety above anything else.

Will people get used to paying tickets for parking, or will they continue to object? There’s no way to be sure. All that residents can do is trust the decision made by the DMCC.

 

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Source: Gulf News.