Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008
Dubai: It was like being on a merry go round for the majority of drivers in Sharjah, as the diversions for the Al Wahda Street closure were more confusing than helpful.
Exhausted motorists who were on their way back from work said the signs needed to be more accurate and informative.
Commuters who live in Al Rolla, Abu Shagara, Al Qassimi and King Faisal Road spend between two to three-and-half hours on the road. The back-straining journey forced some motorists to park their vehicles on the hard shoulder to stretch their legs. Others were seen eating sandwiches and sipping soft drinks. Some drivers were were watching cartoons on their LCD monitors.
"I borrowed the DVDs from my daughter. The journey back home is a challenge and the congestion really puts you in an ugly mood. Tom and Jerry will help me laugh," said Towfik Hassan a Palestinian resident of Sharjah.
Drivers said that they wished more more signs had been installed with large letters clearly visible from a distance.
"Take a look at the signs. Unless you go close to them you can't make out what they say. The only signboard which cries out loud is the obvious one - 'Al Wahda Street Closed'. Everyone knows about that particular news. What I need to know is where does a diversion begin and where does it lead to. Now, all that I have come across are freshly laid lanes running in a particular direction. Drivers are left guessing," said Mahmoud Habibullah a Pakistani, who lives on Immigration Road.
"After we took the diversion before Al Falah Plaza, I, along with many other drivers, kept circling the hypermarket. I then stopped my car and asked a pedestrian living in the area which route to take. Another diversion was pointed out to be that ran from across the Al Falah Plaza. It led me to traffic gridlock on the King Faisal Road. It took me about an hour just to get onto Immigration Road from King Faisal. I left work at 7.30pm and got home at 10pm," said Michael Fernando, a Sri Lankan.
While drivers were having a tough time getting home, the scene at the deserted stretch of Al Wahada Street which is closed has turned into a pedestrian promenade. Families were seen taking a stroll after dinner on the empty street while children decided to use the space to play football.
"Al Wahada has always been a busy street with 24-hour traffic congestion, but now that it is closed to traffic, it feels so peaceful. I can't help but take a stroll on the empty street," said Aditi Jaykar, an Indian.
By Sunita Menon
Gulf News 2008. All rights reserved.
