Address system to be introduced in Fujairah

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai, launches Makani, the e-address smart system, which will be rolled out in Fujairah. Dubai Municipality will provide training and assistance. Wam

FUJAIRAH // Buildings in Fujairah will soon have a 10-digit geographic address and be part of the e-address smart system, Makani (My Address).

Dubai Municipality and Fujairah Municipality on Tuesday signed an agreement to enact the Makani system in Fujairah.

Makani will enable people to locate buildings with an accuracy of one metre by using a Quick Response code for buildings in the emirate.

The system acquires real-time coordinates from satellites to provide detailed information about location and access points by using 10 unique numbers for individual buildings.

Hussain Lootah, director general of Dubai Municipality, said the Makani system would be enacted at all government and private buildings for the use of everyone in Fujairah.

“The system will be made available on all smartphones and smart devices in future,” he said.

Under the agreement, Fujairah Municipality has the right to use Makani’s signs and data for the emirate, while Dubai Municipality will provide training and technical consultation.

Fujairah residents said the rollout of Makani would make their lives a little easier.

“I didn’t think that this technology would reach us in Fujairah, but this means that the authorities are moving in the right direction,” said Moza Al Kindi, 24, an Emirati resident.

“This system will make things easier and instead of writing the whole address we will use only a code, which is a great step.”

Jamal Awad, a 32-year-old Jordanian expatriate in Fujairah, said he always had difficulties directing guests or delivery men to his home because his building lacked a name and number.

“I hadn’t heard about this system before, but if it’s true that each building in the emirate will be identified by a number, then that will definitely solve my address issue,” he said.

Last month, Dubai Municipality said the project, which will be rolled out in phases, would cover 40,000 buildings in 58 areas of Dubai.

The system has been enacted at metro stations. It will also be used by government agencies, such as Dubai Police, to provide an accurate location of incidents to emergency services.