Al Ain: Once an arid desert, the UAE has transformed into a burgeoning modern country over the past 40 years, inviting the world to see the wonder carved out of the Rulers' vision and the nation's commitment, said a seasoned engineer.
Janak Kumar Bhatt has seen this transformation happen while working as a civil engineer for the past 38 years in the UAE. Mainly living in Al Ain, Bhatt worked on many early projects in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain over the years.
"When I first landed in Dubai in the early 1970s the UAE had just started its march on the path of development after its independence," he said, adding that civil infrastructure was in a shambles or almost non-existent.
He paid tribute to the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the late Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum for their vision and efforts that put the country on the track of unmatched social and economic development.
Quality of life
"With every passing year, the UAE has been gaining more prominence on the world map with its fast-paced development that offers quality of life to nationals and expatriates alike," he said.
He said many people who visited the UAE in the early years did not believe it when they visited it again in 1990 and later.
"For them it was a wonder, but for me it was the embodiment of the rulers' vision that needed resolve and proper employment of the available resources," said Bhatt.
The country has got through its early difficulties and has achieved marvellous development in almost every economic and social field.
He recalled his first meeting with His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, way back when he was just a teenager.
"We were working on a project inside Zabeel Palace and Shaikh Mohammad used to inspect our work."
He was polite and often guided us to get the desired results, added Bhatt.
Bhatt, who hails from the Indian state of Gujarat, is currently working as area manager for a UAE general contracting company and was also four-time elected president of the Indian Social Centre (ISC) in Al Ain.
The city was a typical desert town in the mid-1970s with just one road (Shaikh Zayed I Street), he said. Most shops and buildings were around it and Shaikh Khalifa Road was under construction at that time.
Outdoor activities
Dust and sand used to fly in the air and a lack of amenities made life hard.
"There was just one hotel in the city [Hilton Hotel] and the roads around it were unpaved," he said.
With little entertainment opportunities, people used to watch English programmes, mostly wrestling, on the only two available local television channels in the evening.
For outdoor activities Al Ain Zoo and the City Garden were the only options.
"I believe the development of the UAE was in phases," he said, adding that the first phase was between 1975 and 1995.
"During this phase most of the basic infrastructure and buildings were constructed but without much attention to quality," he said.
"The second phase started after 1995 with the arrival of the concept of quality. The country saw a mushrooming of modern and high-rise buildings built in accordance with international standards.
"Today, the UAE is a role model in construction quality and an efficient civic infrastructure in the region," said Bhatt. People, both citizens and residents, enjoy a high standard of life, security, and complete freedom in the country.
Vision and dedication
The progress the UAE has achieved, he said, would have been impossible without the vision and the dedication of the rulers.
He recalled the dedication of the late Shaikh Zayed during a project in Hili Place in Al Ain. Shaikh Zayed always personally monitored construction projects.
"He used to sit on the ground with us, drawing maps and plans on the sand and routinely check their execution," said Bhatt.
President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has been following in his father's footsteps, he said.
"I remember his goodwill gesture towards me and three of my colleagues when we met with an accident in Umm Al Zomul," he said.
Advanced treatment
The road was unpaved and Bhatt and his colleagues were returning after inspecting one of Shaikh Khalifa's project sites.
"It was the month of June and our car flipped over after a burst tyre," he said.
All the occupants, including him, sustained severe injuries and there was nobody to rescue them.
"It was our luck that a municipality truck came and moved us to Tawam Hospital, which was hundreds of miles away," he said.
"Shaikh Khalifa took a personal interest in our treatment and sent one of the injured to London for advanced treatment," he said. "We were all touched by his love for humanity," Bhatt said.
