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29 March 2024

Al Nahda jaywalkers face Dh250 fine

Published
By Sneha May Francis

Walking across the fenced area between Dubai and Sharjah in Al Nahda to save Dh20 on cross-emirate cab fare might not be a good idea any more.

Not if you end up paying Dh250 in fines, right? Well, the recent Dubai police drive in Al Nahda 1, to reduce road accidents, has trapped many jaywalkers, fining first-timers Dh250, but doubling and tripling the amount for habitual rule-breakers.

While the Dubai traffic administration stats record that such exercises have seen a 52.4% dip in pedestrian offenders since February 2011 (listed at 5,099 violators) to February 2012 (at 2,425 violators), the pedestrian community insisted that the problem will persist unless more zebra crossings, or an over-bridge, are marked on the 2-km stretch in Al Nahda 1.

“Merely issuing fines won’t help. If there are no zebra lines nearby it’s tough for us to cross,” voiced Indian worker Akbar.

"It’s a long walk to the traffic signals, and it increases our commute a lot," added Filipina worker Marlyn, who walks the walk daily to reach her employer in Dubai.



Also, the authorities need to take into consideration the large cross-emirate pedestrian traffic. "Most people walk across the emirates, mainly to cut down on the high cab fare and travel time. So, if crossing the fence saves time and money, then why not? We shouldn’t be punished for trying to save money," asserted a Pakistani commuter.

Although there are no talks about any initiative to ease the problem for pedestrians, a reliable source in the Dubai Police has revealed that many areas in Dubai, including Al Nahda, are in need of more zebra crossings or pedestrian bridges, but that responsibility lies with the RTA.

When Emirates 24|7 quizzed a few pedestrians, over the weekend, about the UAE federal law on jaywalkers, majority of them confirmed ignorance. "Being a tourist, I'm not aware of such rules. I would cross over without looking for a zebra crossing," confessed M Rajkumar, an Indian-born UK citizen.

A Dubai supermarket worker, who was recently caught in the act, also voiced the same concern. “I’ve been crossing over from Sharjah ever since I started work in Dubai, but I didn’t know that it was illegal to do it,” he confessed.

So until new facilities are provided for pedestrians, the authorities must, at least, set up warning signs, educating them about their rights, he said.