Dubai: A motorist has said the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has fined him around Dh800 for not having a Salik tag even though it was affixed on his windscreen.
Abdullah Darwish said he had to pay the fines for not fixing a tag to complete his transactions with the RTA. He said the RTA asked him to pay the fines and then fill a Salik Violation Dispute Form to get his money back. He had paid around Dh800 in fines.
He said he fixed the Salik tag on the same day that he passed through the gate.
"If I assume that the tag was not activated immediately, according to RTA, I can rectify my situation in the next 48 hours. This is the RTA's rule. No fine should have been issued to me. However, the fine was issued on the same date," he said.
Darwish said it has been more than four months now since he filled the first Salik Violation Dispute Form and has not got any response so far.
"They told me that after submitting the form, it will take 30 working days to process the application. I submitted the first form on March 9. It has been more than 30 working days and there has been no response as yet," he said.
Different numbers
Darwish said he got an SMS on April 15, which said that his application will be investigated and the reply will come to him in maximum 15 days.
He said more than 15 days have passed, but nothing has happened as yet.
"After a few weeks, when I went to carry out another transaction, I found that I had been fined again. It was the same fine that I have already paid for but under a different fine number. The date and the time was exactly the same," he said.
Darwish has questioned how could this be possible and how could he get two fines of different numbers on the same date and the same time.
He said he had filled three forms of Salik Violation Dispute, the latest being on May 20, but when he asked the Salik office about the delay, he was told that the delay is from the financial department at the RTA because they have many fines to deal with and are under work stress.
"It is not about money. It is about my time and effort that I have spent even though it is not my mistake," Darwish said.
Another motorist said he had to wait for five months before the RTA waived his fines amounting to Dh3,000 because he did not have credit in his Salik tag. He said he had never passed under a toll gate.
"I was issued many fines for not having credit in my account and I was told to send a complaint and fill the Salik Violation Dispute form by visiting their office in Al Barsha," he said.
He said the fines were waived after five months of submitting the form, but recently he was shocked to see he has fines worth around Dh1,900 for not having credit and he will have to fill another form and wait for another five or more months for the fines to be waived.
Gulf News repeatedly contacted the RTA, but got no response.
Do you know anyone who has faced a similar experience? What happened? How do you rate the efficiency of the RTA's call centre when it comes to solving problems? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com or fill in the form below to send your comments.
Your comments
I have used Salik Tolls only thrice since its implementation (with an intact Tag on my car's wind screen). Contrarily, I have slapped many fines accumulating to AED 5200/-. Surprised by the fines, I contacted the RTA to know the raison d'aitre for wrongful imposing of fines which is quite incommodious. The lady I spoke to at RTA was not at all worried with my compliant and plainly said this is their daily routine that they received hundreds of complaints like this. I am a senior banker and it's very hard pressing exercise for me to spare time and go to their office, queuing up for something which is not my fault and fill the dispute form then wait for the outcome.
We recognize that every new system has its own repercussions which is acceptable but RTA should be efficient enough to resolve the issues promptly once are brought to their notice, which is improve the overall standing and trustworthiness of the department in the eyes of the general public.
Aamir hussain
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 11:08
I am an ongoing victim to the Salik system. Have got 3 fines one AED 400/-, AED 300/- and AED 100/-. I have to go through the long process of filling out disput form otherwise cant renew my vehicles. I have both salik on my 2 cars since the Toll inspection.
Rui
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 11:03
I was imposed of AED4,000 fine by Salik from July 2007 to February 2008 while I still have the balance of 50 dirhams in my account. I made a dispute letter in their office at Al Barsha, and after 1 month everything was cleared.
Maria
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 10:49
I am also one of such victim where I gone for my car renewal and found that i have salik violation on my car number plate for 110 aed. I have checked the date and time and i was confirmed from my office time keeping machine that i have entered in my office 8:12 am and left office only at 5:30 PM. but the salik records shows that i have passed salik at 9:12 AM in the morning. When enquired by the traffic department they have asked to come to RTA head office to do this salik dispute form. I have left just like that and made the payment, i know it is just a waste of time for me since nothing will come out even after filling the dispute form.
Jeet
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 10:17
I faced the same situation, they have given me 7 fines in one day for not having enough credit on my account, although I had credit of 300Dhs in my account, so when i went to registration department first i had to pay 350 dhs and then i filed a distupe form they have given me the same answer they will respond after 1 month but i am still waiting its been around more than 3 months.
Shazia
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 09:34
It is true we have been wrongly charged about Dhs 1300/- for no reason whatsoever, the cars belong to someone else, it has been confirmed by the SALIK Fleet Div, it's more 4 mths now, we have still not received our refund inspite of several reminders. We are sick and tired of dealing with SALIK and RTA.
Anonymous
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 09:29
I got my Salik Tag when I first cross the Garhoud Brigde by mistake, since than I never cross any toll gate, its been closing to a year now, However I got charged twice for crossing Brasha Toll Gate, which I have never seen since it fot installed, Of couse no correction has been made, after several requests.
Ahmed
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 09:25
I have been charged for having no credit on my account (3 occasions) in fact when your credit reached Dhs.30 they will send you SMS to recharge the account which I'm doing. The bad thing was the timing on the offense paper was the same time I was on duty, and I do not let anyone use my car when Im in duty. I talked to RTA on the phone and told me to report the matter to the Main office of the RTA.I think they have to check their system.
VICTOR
DUBAI,U.A.E
Posted: June 25, 2008, 09:00
I have the same issue after rectifying the issue with Salik, which took almost 2months. I received an SMS telling me that the fine has been waived off and that a cheque in my name will be issued, this was a month ago and till now I did not receive a call to collect my money. I do not know what to do now.
Wosim
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 08:49
I was charged 7 times for crossing the toll gate while the maximum charge per day regardless of how many times you cross the Salik gate is Dhs 24. Further, these charges lacks the logic e.g. charged for crossing Garhoud gate bridge towards Sharja and after 11 minutes charged again for crossing Al Barsha gate towards Sharja. This is impossible even with Formula One Vehicle.
I understand that Salik is a computer generated system and mistakes happens, but the procedure to fix the mistakes were set in a very unprofessional way where motorists selects to pay these unjust charges to avoid waisting their time.
Adnan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 08:40
I had an issue with the Salik system. I was charged 2 times for passing under the toll gate at 4am when I did not even use the toll gate that day. I have been in and out of the RTA office complaining but no response it has been 8 months now. RTA has to get their Salik system intact before the Launch of the Safa and Al Maktoum toll gates or else it will be history repeated again and more motorists will have to face the suffering.
Caroline
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 08:23
I have also had the same experience. Recently when I checked my Police fines, I noticed that I am fined for Salik by RTA. The Salik tag was fixed ever since the same day it came into effect and the car is passing thru Salik since then and also there is balance money. I spoke to Salik and they told me to go and fill up the form ... What I do not understand is when they know its a mistake and its from their part, why cant they rectify the same rather than waste our time???
Suja
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 08:21
It took me more than a month after purchase, to get a Salik tag activated, too many phone calls to count and faxing documents 3 times, finally when it was activated there was also another car on my account and I was paying its toll, after more calls it was finally fixed, people should use the web access to check their accounts regularly as surely this fancy Salik system is not working properly and you might just be paying someone else's toll fees as well.
Chunga
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 08:16
One can only imagine the complexities. This is with two gates today.
Add to this the new Salik gate at the Safa Park with the set up that only one trip will be charged between Barsha and Safa Park, one can only ponder about the new cases.
Rajesh
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 08:07
Actually I'm also having the same problem, I had fixed the Salik tag on my vehicle and I had enough credit, but when I went to RTA for Passing work they said I had a fine amounted to Dhs.2500. and this is for not having enough balance. I filled out the form and submitted for waiving the amount, but now its already 2 months and still I didn't get any response from RTA side.
Mani
Dubai,U.A.E
Posted: June 25, 2008, 08:01
I have filed 4 dispute forms in all - 2 in January and 2 in March. No explanation was given for the fines and the call center guessed it was due to improper registration or insufficient credit - both of which did not hold true. Despite repeatedly calling them I am still awaiting a response from them. Recently I was told the one of my fines is approved and will be refunded while the other 3 are still pending. The fines are arbitrarily charged and I fail to understand why the refund process takes so long especially since it is not our fault. The call center is unable to assist with this and keep saying it is the responsibility of another department within RTA.
Farida
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 07:46
.There was a fine for me for passing without Salik tag. In fact I did not cross Salik. To prove that I spend around three hours and Ten dirham for the photograph. At least they must return my money when I am not guilty
M.Jayachandra
DUBAI,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 07:43
I was one of the first buyers to Salik Card since I was frequent visitor to Dubai and then I had to change my windshield so I filled a form to cancel my current Salik card and bought another one and put it on the new windshield but to my surprise I found that my new request for new Salik was rejected because the old one is still active!! I called them several times and wasted allot of time and send many faxes yet it is still active and I cannot register the new card. Eventualy I stopped caring and also stopped visiting Dubai unless there is something urgent. my question is why do they limit the car to one card?
Ahmed
Abu dhabi,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 07:38
I know a friend that swears to me that she's never been fined and never refund the salik, which I assume it is super strange.
Muna
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 07:17
One of my friends has a motor bike, an uneducated Courier Guy, not knowing that For Motor Bike there is also a Salik, he keeps on going on Salik for long time, and from Jan 2008 to March 2008 he come to know that his Salik fine for his Motor bike is Dhs.10000. For 2 wheelers also there is a Salik, which will cost them per year, if they cross Salik daily 4 times the cost of the bike.
Chidambaram
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 06:14
If salek is to reduce traffic then why do they not turn it off at night? when there is no traffic.
Adnan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 25, 2008, 04:29
