Dubai landmark gets a facelift

Dubai: A new set of clocks atop the 40 year-old clock tower in Deira would vouch for the old adage that a stitch in time saves nine.

It was only the first time since the landmark tower was constructed in 1963 that all four clocks were being replaced on Sunday evening.

The fate of the old clocks is yet to be decided but, for the time being, they are being carefully tucked away.

So will they find a place among the exhibits at the Dubai Municipality Museum?

"They may or they may not. They are quite old and have been standing witness to the progress made by the country," said Juma Al Fuqae, director, maintenance department.

He said the new Omega clocks were fitted with GPS devices to ensure the highest degree of accuracy.

"We have entered into a contract with a local agent for three years. He will be making a payment of Dh750,000 to the municipality [in lieu of publicity] and will be responsible for the maintenance of the clocks over the three-year period. One advantage of linking the clocks to GPS is that it does away with the need to manually adjust the hands," said Al Fuqae.

Refurbished in 1972

The Deira Clock Tower is to the east of Dubai, at the intersection of Umm Hurair Road and Al Maktoum Road.

The tower allows access to Al Maktoum Bridge, the first land crossing constructed between Deira and Bur Dubai.

The construction of the clock tower was completed by Overseas AST in 1964, but in 1972 it was refurbished after cracks showed up and the steel reinforcements corroded as a result of the use of unwashed beach sand instead of concrete for its construction.

Famous friends

- Big Ben at the Palace of Westminster in London

- The Rajabai Tower in Mumbai

- The Spasskaya Tower in the Kremlin

- The Peace Tower in Ottawa

- The Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower at the University of Birmingham, England.