'When will it be over?' ask residents

Dubai: Shopkeepers and residents near Jumeirah Beach Road are still waiting for road works along 14 kilometres to end so life can get back to normal.

Over the last year, grocers, cafeterias and motorists have faced road closures, diversions and lack of parking space.

The beautification project will also ease traffic congestion, but despite the near completion of the project, car parking is proving to be a challenge with not enough allocated space.

Ashraf Mousa, the receptionist of the Team restaurant in Jumeirah 3, said the road works have been a big problem since the beginning as they only opened 10 months back. "Car parking is a problem but most of our business is done by delivery and we cannot do it fast. Sometimes the road is blocked and drivers can't get out. They have to go very far to take a U-turn," said Mousa.

"The parking space has been reduced and people can't stop so they go elsewhere. We have had problems from the start, we don't know when it will end," added Mousa.

Parking is also an issue for customers at the Sea Shell Cafeteria in Jumeirah 3. Moideen K.C., one of the staff at the restaurant, said they had only 4 parking spaces nowadays compared to nearly 20 before. "The third lane has taken up our parking space so people can't stop. Our profits have been cut in half," said Moideen.

He said most customers park and honk to get service and now even double park. "The project is good for drivers but bad for us," he said.

At the Rawoos Ghulami Supermarket next door to the Sea Shell, one of the attendants, Reza Porshamsi, said there is not enough parking.

"The construction has affected the business. We are not able to pay the rent for a while but slowly the business is returning. We were told it would last 9 months but it is yet to finish," he said.

Obaid, a resident in Jumeirah, said he manages to find parking but does not risk double-parking. "I think this is cause and effect. If you want to have improved roads then you have to put up with this disruption for a little while," he said.

Further down the road towards Jumeirah 2, Mohammad Abdullah, 24, arrived from India last month to work in Al Bashair Laundry. "There is no business here. Customers go to other shops. The rent has increased and the owner wants to open a grocery here instead," said Abdullah.

"We have made little profit. Most people cannot park so go somewhere else."

STATEMENT
Completion by mid-July

REASONS
Independent driveways 'caused delay'

Ali Jasem, construction supervising manager at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said reasons for the delays were caused in part by individual requests from residents to have independent driveways included in the beautification project.

"We are still receiving individual requests for rights of way into houses. If the demands are justified we are doing it. We are trying to create maximum space for parking and we are also working on a cycle lane," said Jasem.

He said more pedestrian crossings have been incorporated into Jumeirah Beach Road. Some will be raised and signalised and others will be modern brick crossings.

According to Jasem, the project had to be modified twice to include the needs of the area and the initial cost of the project has had to increase.

Many surprises on the road and services like sidewalks and footpaths had to be diverted. Limited area to work on while leaving roads open meant no heavy machinery could be brought in to do work faster.

According to a 24-year veteran engineer from the RTA, the beautification project has been one of the toughest road projects. "It is definitely a very important and critical road and everybody wants the works to finish.

"We are are sorry for the delay but we are doing our best. Once this is completed we hope it will take some of the pressure off Shaikh Zayed Road," he said.