Dubai
A bus comes to a halt at a stop and several people get off. Now starts a game of death or dare. Cars speed past with no heed to the number of people waiting, because there is no pedestrian crossing.
So people start running across the street, dodging speeding vehicles, and hoping they make it across. This is a daily occurrence at Al Nahda bus stop on Amman Street, in Al Qusais.
There are no signals, speed humps or pedestrian crossings on the long road, therefore the cars speed up having no prior indication of a bus stop coming up ahead. And as it is a very busy area, the frequency of buses is high - there was one bus every few minutes when Gulf News was there to investigate, based on numerous reader complaints.
Al Nahda bus stop is situated near the border of neighbouring emirates Sharjah, with Sahara Centre just across. There are two bus stops right across from each other on the road.
This complaint was initially raised by our reader Virendra Zala, who has been in the UAE for over a month. The 35-year-old is an Indian national working as an engineer in Dubai. He said: “It is a very busy road and people are seen crossing the road at all times, with no proper pedestrian crossing. Introducing more signals to the area might help solve the problem.”
The problem is serious because of high commuter traffic at the bus stop, which is right in the heart of the Dubai-Sharjah border, with many people living in Sharjah for affordable housing and working in Dubai.
They cross the road to catch buses or taxis to their respective workplaces in Dubai. The street is a residential area with buildings and popular eateries on both sides of the street. Supermarkets, book stores and other stores are also present. There are several schools nearby, too. Since it is both a residential and school area, chances of children crossing the road are high, too.
On speaking to other residents in the area, Gulf News found out that the lack of pedestrian crossings is a cause concern for most people the newspaper spoke to.
Muthu Kumar who lives there, parks his car on one side of the road and has to cross Amman Street to get to his house on the other side. He points out that nearly a year ago the speed limit on the road was 60 kilometres per hour with a radar installed. “Now there’s no radar and the speed limit is no longer 60,” Kumar added. According to him the best solution to this problem in the area would be the introduction of a speed limit, again. Another resident, Karpagam Kumar suggests that if possible the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) should look into adding a pedestrian crossing for the “safety of the public”.
Michael Fernando, a banker from Sri Lanka, who uses the bus stop often, finds that most of the crowd comprises working people. He finds mornings to be relatively easy to cross with fewer cars but by evening the road is swarming with speeding cars making it difficult to cross.
While Gulf News was there, we were witness to a rather alarming example of jaywalking. A mother was pushing her baby in a pram across the street. We spoke to her. Vijaya, 32, is an Indian housewife and has lived in the area for over four years now. She has several friends and family living on the other side of the road, which is closer to Sharjah. She often visits them and has to cross the road alone with her toddler.
She said: “I am scared all the time worried if the stroller gets stuck or I fall down. Then it’s going to be fatal. An overpass or a zebra crossing will be most suitable for people who cross the road daily.” She sounded very worried when speaking to the newspaper.
Anwar Hossen, a Bangladeshi national, who lives in Al Nahda uses the bus to commute to his workplace. He finds the morning and afternoon rush hours the busiest time for the number of cars passing by and people crossing. Hossen said: “These are the times when people go to work or school. People at this time usually cross in groups. I’ve seen several pupils cross the road on their own, which is concerning.”
An Ethiopian national who didn’t want to be named has been living in the area for the past two years. He lives in Sharjah and works in Dubai. He said: “The area is right between Sharjah and Dubai, hence making it easier for people travel between the two emirates as the taxi charges Dh20 once the border is crossed. I have to take a taxi to work, so I have to cross from the Sharjah side where I live to the Dubai side, where I work. It is a very dangerous and busy place. I am always worried if an accident might happen.”
A staff report by Gulf News in April, 2014, reported of a functioning bridge on Amman Street. Since the street is quite long, one bridge apparently does not seem to fulfil the commuting needs of the people in the area. And it is not located near the bus stop, either.
Dubai, according to news reports, is a city that boasts one of the finest infrastructures in the world. Six lane wide roads, abundant service lanes, special lanes designated to public transport, the Metro and now with the introduction of the Dubai tram , it leaves no stone unturned in the drive to a user-friendly city. The RTA has initiated many programs to enhance the public transport facilities and improve roads across the emirate to make travel safer and smoother.
As per another report published by Gulf News in April 2014, RTA said that it is “working towards ensuring safety of people who travel on foot”. Last year seven pedestrian bridges were completed with 12 more to be introduced this year in some of the emirate’s busiest areas that don’t have these services yet.
- The writer is an intern with the Readers Desk of Gulf News
