Abu Dhabi: Kishore Kumar has two parking permits, but the marketing officer with the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Cultural Authority finds it next to impossible to get parking near his home near the Iranian School in Al Dhafrah.
Kumar struggles to get parking even at night.
The standard Mawaqif parking zone has to be vacated from 8pm to 9am for residents holding the permit, but at the Mawaqif parking area (E18-01/022) it does not seem to be happening as most spaces are occupied by commercial vans, buses and taxis.
“This has become a daily problem,” Kumar told XPRESS.
“Every day we see the parking lot filled with cars and taxis by drivers who don’t hold resident parking permits and we end up parking at Shaikh Kalifa Medical City from where it’s a good 15 minutes walk to my building,” lamented Kumar. “The very purpose of having a resident parking permit is defeated.
“To make matters worse, there is a fleet of cars parked against the kerb marked in black and yellow where parking is not allowed,” he said.
Frustrated residents have already complained to authorities but they say nothing much has been done so far.
“This problem has been there for quite a while now and we have already complained at least three times. Every time they [authorities] promise action but nothing has been done till now. It looks as if no one is bothered,” said an elderly resident. “I return to my area with some hope every day and I find the same cars parked there.”
According to Kumar, inspectors check only the main roads and ignore the inner roads.
moving home
Another resident who did not wish to be named said he moved house due to the parking problem. “I had no choice but to shift to another area. Every day it was a nightmare searching for parking. With no action been taken, I decided to move to another place.
“It’s a pity that after paying so much for your resident permit you are denied proper parking,” he said.
