Dubai: Dubai’s popular Al Seef Street creek-side leisure getaway has been closed indefinitely.
Tall white boards have come up on the street, blocking access to the waterfront walkway on Dubai Creek and its car parking areas.
Floating restaurants and leisure boats that used to be docked there have also gone. It was not immediately clear if they have relocated or what has become of them.
However, the Al Seef marine transport station remains open. A passageway has been kept open for water bus passengers to walk between the street and station.
There is no sign or artist’s impression to indicate what is taking shape behind the boards and no information on when access will reopen.
However, the almost 2km-stretch was in 2014 approved for a new Dh2 billion tourism project to be completed by the end of 2016.
The project, reflecting Emirati culture and architecture, will consist of a floating market, hotels, restaurants, art galleries and shops for Emirati handicrafts.
Being developed by Meraas Holding, it will extend from Al Fahidi to Bur Dubai. A comment from Meraas was not available.
A lane on each side of the two-way street has also been closed. There is no parking on the street, which is straddled by a few consulates and embassies on one side.
The street was also closely associated with the annual Dubai Shopping Festival, hosting shopping, dining, entertainment options and fireworks daily for a month.
“I didn’t know it was closing. A lot of people and families in Bur Dubai used to go there, especially in the winter when it’s cooler to walk about,” said British expat Mohammad Omar.
