Dubai
I reside in International City in Dubai, and every day, I witness an issue that I would like to bring to the attention of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). I want to highlight the fact that the bus stops in this area do not have any shelters for passengers.
Around Dubai, hundreds of bus stops have air-conditioned shelters, which make it easier for passengers to wait for the bus. But, these aren’t available for residents of International City. I reported this problem to the RTA in 2015, and initially, I received positive feedback from them. They stated that they would fix the issue by November 2015, but no action was taken.
Once again, I complained to the RTA around two months ago and sure enough, they said that the problem would be resolved by the end of the year.
Summer months are approaching already, and in hot weather, when the temperatures soar above 40 degrees Celsius, passengers have to wait for the bus out in the open. There isn’t any natural shade near the stops, so people have to stand under the blazing sun. This can be quite painful for those who use public transport.
Luckily, I have my own means of transport, but it is still a matter of concern to me, as I see people waiting at the bust stops every day. I hope that I succeed at trying to highlight this issue. I would appreciate it if the RTA could make this a priority and take effective action to resolve this issue, for the sake of the passengers who are having to wait in the heat on a daily basis. A bus shelter would go a long way in easing their daily commute.
— The reader is based in Dubai.
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FACTBOX
The reader’s concerns were raised with the management of RTA. They immediately investigated the issue and responded positively. They stated: “RTA has developed a plan to expand the number of the shelters in Dubai, including in high-rider areas such as International City. This plan has been shared with the International City developers, and we would like to share this fact with our valued customers, too. There is, currently, work in progress and such areas will be provided with shelters within a short period.”
