‘Emirates Loves India’ issues apology as 100K+ crowd forces Dubai’s Zabeel Park gate closure

Organisers of the ‘Emirates Loves India’ community event have issued a public apology after Zabeel Park reached full capacity with more than 100,000 people inside, forcing authorities to close entry gates on Sunday.

In a statement released after the event, organisers Emirates Loves said: “We sincerely apologise to those who were unable to enter the venue. Due to overwhelming attendance, the authorities had to close the doors once capacity was reached. We appreciate your understanding and are deeply grateful to everyone who participated in our celebrations.”

The unprecedented turnout made it the largest community celebrations of its kind in the UAE. The highly anticipated celebrations featured musical performances by Neha Kakkar, Mika Singh, Neeraj Madhav and Nabeel Khan, along with cultural shows, exhibitions and food stalls reflecting India’s regional diversity.

Overwhelming response

Families and visitors from across the UAE began arriving as early as 1pm, much ahead of the event’s official start time, and long queues stretched outside the gates by evening. Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defence and RTA teams were deployed across the venue to manage the crowd and ensure public safety.

Rashed Al Tamimi, Director of Emirates Loves, said elaborate security measures were in place: “You look at any corner of this venue, and you will see Dubai Police, RTA or Civil Defence. They were constantly patrolling and responding.”

A. Amarnath, Charge d'Affaires at the Embassy of India in the UAE, said the large turnout reflected the strong presence of the Indian community in the country.
“In 2014, the Indian community in the UAE was 2.2 million. Today, it is 4.3 million. So I am not surprised that with every passing year, the interest in this event is growing,” he said.

Despite the overcapacity situation and restricted entry, the event concluded peacefully with no safety incidents reported.