Dubai Discovery Gardens paid parking: Parkonic addresses residents' concerns

Dubia: Paid on-street parking at Discovery Gardens officially came into effect on January 15, with enforcement now active, Parkonic confirmed. The new system, powered by AI and number plate recognition, is designed to manage parking in areas without dedicated spaces, improve shared parking management for buildings without assigned spots, and enhance safety and accessibility across the community.

Since the rollout, several residents have reported difficulties completing registration through the PARKONIC app. Many said they were blocked from logging in despite receiving their PINs, while others criticised slow customer support. Residents described technical issues including blocked accounts and activation problems.

One resident said on social media: “I received the PIN yesterday, followed the instructions immediately, but the app blocks me because my phone number is already registered. I’ve sent three emails explaining this, but received only generic responses. Customer support is unresponsive, and I have no way to complete registration.”

Another added: “How are we supposed to complete the registration if the app isn’t working? The system says my number is already registered, and I cannot proceed.”

Parkonic addresses activation delays

Parkonic acknowledged the concerns, confirming that cases where PINs have been issued but activation cannot be completed due to system synchronisation are being handled with care.

The company stressed that residents will not be penalised for delays during the activation process. Account details for affected users have already been forwarded to the relevant team for review, so there is no need to resubmit information.

Parkonic added that the team will follow up once account-level checks are completed and emphasised that technical issues are being resolved sequentially, in order of priority.

On-street parking is first-come, first-served

Some residents also questioned whether on-street parking would be guaranteed near their homes.

Parkonic clarified that all on-street spaces operate on a first-come, first-served basis and do not provide dedicated spots.

The system is designed to regulate usage and improve overall availability across the community rather than assign individual parking spaces. The framework is part of an approved plan coordinated with relevant stakeholders to ensure fair access for all residents.

Multi-car households raise pricing concerns

Several residents highlighted the challenge of managing multiple vehicles. Parkonic explained that each residential unit receives one complimentary permit if the building has no dedicated parking.

Additional vehicles require a paid subscription, with standard vehicles priced at Dh945 per month or Dh2,625 quarterly, and electric vehicles at Dh500 per month or Dh1,350 quarterly (VAT inclusive).

Visitor parking is charged at Dh4 per hour during standard hours and Dh6 per hour during peak hours, with Ramadan peak hours from 3:00pm to 12:00am.

The company emphasised that pricing, allocation, and charging days are determined under the approved framework and are not set independently by Parkonic.

Residents are encouraged to submit formal requests through official support channels if they have concerns regarding multi-vehicle households.

Subscription pricings:

Standard vehicles

• Monthly: Dh900 (Dh945 VAT exclusive)

• Quarterly: Dh2,500 (Dh2,625 VAT exclusive)

Electric vehicles

• Monthly: Dh500 (VAT inclusive)

• Quarterly: Dh1,350 (VAT inclusive)

Subscriptions apply only to designated paid parking zones and do not guarantee space availability.

Guidance to avoid parking fees

To prevent visitor charges, residents are advised to register via the PARKONIC tenant portal, activate eligibility through the PARKONIC+ app, and ensure activation is completed at least five minutes before entering a parking area.

Approvals are subject to document verification and are not instant. Parkonic reiterated that residents should rely only on official channels for updates, particularly during the high-volume activation period.

Parking rates and hours:

Visitor parking fees apply to all unregistered vehicles from the go-live date:

• Standard hours: 8:00am – 5:00pm – Dh4 per hour

• Peak hours: 5:00pm – 12:00am – Dh6 per hour

Ramadan timings

During Ramadan, peak hours begin earlier at 3:00pm, while standard rates remain unchanged: Peak: 3:00pm – 12:00am – Dh6 per hour

Parking payments can be made through the Parkonic app, Salik auto-deduction, QR codes, or SMS.

Smooth, resident-focused rollout

Parkonic emphasised its commitment to a flexible, tenant-friendly approach, aiming to ensure a smooth rollout while addressing resident concerns and supporting Discovery Gardens residents throughout the registration and activation process.

What residents must do

To avoid visitor charges, residents must:

• Register their vehicle via the Parkonic tenant registration portal

• Activate resident parking eligibility through the PARKONIC+ app

• Ensure activation is completed at least five minutes before entering the parking area

Approval is subject to document verification and is not instant.