DUBAI, 15 January 2008 — President George W. Bush may have had a hassle-free visit to Dubai, but many residents suffered from traffic jams as a result of the closure of roads during the state visit.
The emirate declared yesterday a public holiday for employees in the government, private and educational sectors. While a lot of people were happy at receiving a day-off, others, who had to work, ended up suffering from traffic jams in an already-congested city.
Authorities closed most of the city’s main roads where President Bush’s motorcade would pass. As a result the whole city was paralyzed, forcing residents to walk.
Those especially hit bad were travelers using the Dubai International Airport. Passengers traveling yesterday were told to report five hours early for check-in. Only one route to the airport was open. As a result, some reported missing their flights.
Bridges and tunnels leading to Bur Dubai, the heart of the city, were closed. Sheikh Zayed Road and roads near Burj Al-Arab, where Bush had lunch with some students from the Dubai School of Government, were also closed.
Work appeared to have shut down on the myriad construction projects under way in the emirate, which includes the world’s tallest skyscraper and a world-shaped cluster of man-made islands.
An estimated 700,000 Asians, predominantly from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, are employed as construction workers in the UAE, where less than 20 percent of the four million population are UAE citizens.
As cranes and heavy digging vehicles sat idle at the base of a tower being built near a marina packed with expensive boats, one site manager told AFP that more than 1,000 laborers would usually have been toiling away on building the 107-floor tower.
Many motorists, who tried to use alternative routes, were stuck for hours in traffic jams. Some were forced to abandon their cars and walk.
Robin, who works in Sharjah and lives in Jumeirah, tried to leave home at 7 a.m. However, the police had blocked most of the roads in the neighborhood where he lives. “There was no help coming from them, as they were clueless about alternative routes. I drove around for more than an hour seeking to get to Al-Wasl Road so that I could access Emirates Road from there. It was futile and I ended up staying at home as there was no way I could get to Sharjah,” he said.
Other residents were left wondering whether New York or Washington DC would be brought to a standstill if any of the Emirati leaders visited the United States.
Meanwhile, neighboring Sharjah suffered heavy traffic, as many residents were unable to travel to Dubai — a popular recreation spot for Sharjah residents.
