Dubai, United Arab Emirates: The Marine Transport Agency of Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) signed a contract with the local Deira Tours, whereby the operation and maintenance of rowing abras will be privatized.
Engineer Eissa Abdul Rahman Al Dosari, the CEO of Marine Transport Agency revealed that the Agency opted to privatize the rowing abras in order to complement the strategic plan adopted by the Agency. He stated that such step includes privatizing some of the services offered by Marine Transport Agency to ensure mobility across the water gate of the emirate of Dubai.
"The step aims at providing top class services & comfort to all commuters between the two banks of Dubai Creek, while ensuring quality & safety elements in realization of the vision of safe & smooth transport for all" he said. He commented that this step will add to the development of all marine transport systems. Rowing abras are considered a traditional means of marine transport that the RTA is keen to support, and encourage people to use in commuting between the two banks of Dubai Creek, or as a tourist symbol of our ancestors' heritage and maintain this traditional craft from extinction.
Al Dosari stated that Roads & Transport Authority is vested with the authority of streamlining and licensing the operations of these abras. RTA has provided the infrastructure of all projects and as such the management of the Marine Projects Dep't attends to maintaining & modernizing the stations. Licensing & Registration Dep't of Marine Transport Agency is responsible for licensing these abras according to the highest quality standards, adopting all accredited security and safety precautions and conducting the regular technical inspection through Tasjeel Co (EPCO); which is specialized in this field. The Agency specifies the numbers of rowing abras, working hours and operators, he said.
According to the privatization contract, Deira Tours will cater for preventative & periodical maintenance of rowing abras in the designated locations every three months. The company is also responsible for training and qualifying the operators and account for all related expenses. It has to comply with the operational systems and regulations and abide by security and safety precautions as stated in the technical inspection specifications, he said. Deira Tours may, provided that a written approval is sought from the RTA, increase the number of rowing abras, the number of rowing abra operators and the number of working hours in addition to amending the existing routes of rowing abras, according to Al Dosari.
"The underlying objective of rowing abra is to ensure smooth and easy transit between the two banks of Dubai Creek and contain human congestion spots. Moreover, it boosts the concept of utilizing abras in making tourist trips in Dubai Creek; which is considered a point of attraction for tourists in the emirate of Dubai" Al Dosari added. The number of rowing abras is five abras with a capacity of 3 passengers each. They are deployed in service locations and accessible from two stations, namely Public Library Station and Creek Park Station of rowing abras. The fare is one dirham per passenger and 30 dirhams per hour for tours in the Creek, he added.
He went on to say that statistics reveal the increasing numbers of commuters who use these abras which reached in 2000 up to 3156 passengers and 1365 trips. In 2001 the number of passengers was 3184 conveyed in 1398 trips. But the year 2002 witnessed an increase in the number of commuters which reached 4846 passengers served in 3147 trips. Abras services continued to grow in 2003 and registered 7070 passengers and 5662 trips and in 2004 the numbers were 6657 passengers and 5520 trips. Again in 2005 the numbers increased to 7102 passengers and 6080 trips, but the last year posted a considerable increase where the number of rowing abra passengers reached 10861 passengers and the number of trips also increased to 9139 trips. From the beginning of January up to the end of April of this year 4167 passengers were commuted in 5920 trips of rowing abras.
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© Press Release 2007
