UAE | Housing & Property
There's nowhere to shop, say International City residents
Residents of International City are upset by the lack of shops and medical services in the area.
- By Alice Johnson, Staff Reporter, With inputs from Ashfaq Ahmed, Chief Reporter
- Published: 00:08 April 14, 2008
- Image Credit: Alice Johnson/Gulf News
- Residents of International City have complained about the lack of shops.
Dubai: Residents of International City are upset by the lack of shops and medical services in the area.
This comes after Gulf News reported last week that residents complained about the traffic and access problems, the lack of signage and the smell of waste water from the nearby Al Aweer sewage plant.
Other issues raised by International City residents in recent days are the lack of shops and facilities.
British-Egyptian A.H. moved to the Spain cluster last month: "My local supermarket is really expensive. I think they know that we can't go anywhere else and there's no competition nearby."
"Things like doctors, forget about it. There are no doctors here," he said.
Local business owner A.S., an Iranian, called an ambulance after his friend had a domestic accident.
"I had to call the emergency services after my friend had an accident, because there's no immediate medical assistance in the area. There aren't even any pharmacies."
Filipino resident W.T. said he leaves International City to do his shopping, because "it's too expensive to buy inside the development".
Another issue still proving to be a bone of contention for residents is the traffic situation.
J.H. a secretary from the UK, said: "Big trucks pull up on the side of the road by the main entrance, making cars drive across two lanes to get in, it's very dangerous.
"I want to know whey there's only one lane leading to the main part of International City."
A spokesperson at the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said road development projects in the area surrounding International City are on the cards and there will be more roads linking the area with Emirates Road and the Dubai Bypass Road.
Gulf News also received more complaints about the smell. W.T., a Filipino, has been living in International City's Spain cluster for the past three months.
"My daughter is two years old and is supposed to be coming to live with me soon.
"However, I feel it's not healthy to let a two-year-old live in this place, it smells. I was told I would enjoy the community lifestyle, but I don't see anything like that here."
A Dubai Municipality official said there are plans to move the sewage treatment plant, which is currently in Al Aweer. But he did not say when.
Developer's Response
'Vibrant community'
Rashid Al Helli, General Manager of International City, a Nakheel development, responded to the complaints of some residents.
"International City is fast establishing itself as a vibrant community, providing much needed affordable living with excellent facilities for a broad range of people in Dubai. We are delighted with the progress to date and more than 50,000 people have moved into their new homes; facilities are continuously being being made available, landscaping is well underway, and community events are held regularly.
"As this community develops further, International City will continue to provide a diverse range of commercial and retail offerings for residents. In total, there will be more than 5,000 retail units, with each building in the residential district offering a variety of retail and dining outlets.
"International City continues to be an enormous draw for people in search of quality housing at an affordable price, which was demonstrated by the sales success of the Emirates precinct recently."
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