Dubai: Dubai has launched a crackdown on vehicles left neglected and abandoned at registration and testing centres.
Over 120 warnings were issued to vehicles abandoned at nine centres in the new campaign launched by Dubai Municipality. As many as 68 motorists were sent alerts for clearing their vehicles while 38 poster alerts and 30 text messages were also sent for vehicles abandoned in parking lots and courtyards, the Municipality revealed on Wednesday.
Leaving any vehicle or any equipment on the side of the road or any public place without moving it for long is an offence in the UAE. Cars left abandoned and dirty can be fined Dh500 under the ‘My Vehicle’ campaign of the Waste Management Department of Dubai Municipality
The civic body said it has initiated the field campaign to track and remove neglected vehicles and equipment across nine registration and testing centres in the emirate in collaboration with its strategic partners. This initiative is part of the Municipality’s extensive efforts and field strategies to preserve hygiene, sustainability, and the distinctive aesthetic and cultural appearance of Dubai, it said.
The campaign targeted the following centres – Warsan Registration Centre, Al Qusais Registration Centre, Shamil Muhaisnah Vehicle Testing and Registration Centre, Wasel Vehicles Testing Nadd Al Hammar, Tamam Vehicle Centre, Al Aweer Auto Market, Al Barsha Registration Centre, Al Mumayaz Vehicle Testing Centre, and Wasel Al Jadaf Centre.
The campaign achieved a response rate of 95 per cent, efficiently addressing and managing the situation, the municipality said.
New team
Saeed Safar, director of Waste Operations Department at Dubai Municipality, said: “The campaign is a part of the Municipality’s annual campaigns aimed at removing any elements that may distort the urban and aesthetic appeal of Dubai and cause adverse environmental impacts.
"Furthermore, the campaign pursued to enhance community awareness about the impact of damaged or neglected vehicles and the risk of their negligent accumulation, in addition to promoting the values of community responsibility to enhance the emirate’s appeal and the aesthetics of the public facilities.
"By doing so, it aimed to support our pillars in integrated waste management, offer cutting-edge and efficient municipal services in the field of city hygiene, and advance our objectives of making Dubai a more sustainable city.”
Safar highlighted that over the previous month, the Municipality had assigned a monitoring team to track neglected vehicles and equipment, which includes all types of light and heavy vehicles, locomotives, trailers, boats and various neglected maritime. This crew included a team from the Roads and Transport Authority and the Emirates’ contracted parking company to handle the transport and seizure of discarded vehicles.
Monitoring procedures
Dubai Municipality’s monitoring team for tracking neglected vehicles and equipment works according to a series of administrative procedures, which begins with the issuance of a warning for a period that can vary from three to 15 days, depending on the location and state of the vehicle. If the vehicle has a dashboard in Dubai, an SMS will be issued to its owner to improve the speed of response.
If the period specified in the warning is met, the vehicle will be towed to the impoundment yard in the Al Aweer area. Before selling it through the Committee for the Disposal of Abandoned Vehicles, the owner has the right to retrieve the vehicle by communicating, reviewing, and completing the required procedures.
Responsibility and awareness
Through its media channels, the Municipality constantly raises awareness about the importance of preserving the hygiene of vehicles on a regular basis, particularly while travelling, as well as the need to find a suitable place for the vehicle and avoid leaving it neglected in public places in a way that distorts the city’s appearance.
