One of the downsides to the pace of development in the UAE came into focus this week with a report that an ambulance got lost on its way to an emergency. Dubai paramedics had to stop and ask directions because streets and districts in the Jumeirah Village Triangle lack unique names.
The huge demand for housing that comes with an expanding population is driving rapid residential growth. Some issues, such as the duplication of street numbers, that should have been addressed in the planning stages are having to be resolved after the fact. In the case of JVT, some consultation between municipal authorities and the developers, Nakheel, should be able to sort the situation out.
The good news is that both Dubai and Abu Dhabi are moving towards high-tech solutions, including QR codes and GPS co-ordinates for all properties. In future, nobody with a mobile device should ever get lost.
