Fujairah roads need improvement but Dh65m plan causes misery for residents

Traffic lights, roundabouts and road junctions are being built and while residents say the work is vital, there is also concern about the time it is taking.

Safeer roundabout, considered the most dangerous in Fujairah, will be replaced with traffic signals. Mona Al Marzooqi / The National

FUJAIRAH // Traffic lights, roundabouts and new road junctions are being installed in Fujairah as part of a Dh65 million plan. It is the second phase of a project to improve road networks in the emirate.

Residents say the works are vital but persistent delays are a disruption to their lives and businesses.

“The road construction in front of my house has never ended,” said Asma, a working Emirati mother who lives in the Merashid district of Fujairah city. “Me and my family suffer from the noise and dust that comes out.

“Getting in and out of the neighbourhood is not easy. I had to change my car tyres twice because of the bumpy roads. But eventually we will appreciate the outcome. We hope that it will be soon.”

Jehan, 32, a Pakistani taxi driver, said while there had been improvements, unfinished roads were leaving a bad impression.

“I have been working for almost two years as a taxi driver. But unfinished roads in Safad, Ghalala and Merashid, which are not properly paved, have cost us a lot in vehicle maintenance and fuel,” he said.

“Sometimes we are forced to change routes to get to a passenger’s destination and have to use a longer one to avoid damaged roads. That will leave a bad impression among passengers, especially tourists.”

The programme targets certain areas, with other residents saying their appeals for road and infrastructure improvements have fallen on deaf ears.

An Emirati college student, Saeed, 21, said residents had complained repeatedly about the poor roads in Al Mahatta – and flooding was common in wet weather because of poor drainage.

“I was born and raised in Fujairah [city] – in Al Mahatta. We face so many issues with the unpaved roads. The area is very old and the infrastructure is damaged and needs serious repair,” Saeed said.

“A lot of residents have complained but now nothing has happened. On rainy days the water collects in front of most houses, creating a huge pool.”

Other residents, however, admit while there have been delays, the improvements are important for the future of the emirate.

“When I first arrived in Fujairah with my family, I had concerns. I had to drive from a town near Qidfa to Fujairah city daily and I had to pass through unpaved roads and it was very time consuming,” said Naseem, 36, from Syria, who works in Fujairah city.

“But after creating new roads in the town and fixing main ones, I save time and money,” said Naseem, who has been living in the emirate since 2009.

Salem Al Maksah, director of the Public Works and Agriculture Department, said any delays were caused by complicated underground work.

“Merashid is included in the second phase of the project. We have already started working on the roads there as scheduled and if there is any delay, it’s due to creating and maintaining underground water and electrical lines,” Mr Al Maksah said.

“For Al Mahatta, it’s an old area that should be re-established and it is on the municipality agenda as an upcoming project.”

Mr Al Maksah said there had been huge growth in tourism and property building in the emirate and the Dh65m plan was crucial to keep pace.

“The first phase has been completed, which consisted of creating a new road network in the cities and regions of the Fujairah emirate,” he said.

“The second phase will include expansion and maintenance of existing roads, such as Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi in Dibba, Al Salam, Sheikh Zayed and internal residential roads in areas like Merashid and Mirbah.

“The project also includes building new traffic lights, speed bumps and road junctions to prevent speeding and accidents.”

The project is part of the President, Sheikh Khalifa’s programme to improve underdeveloped areas of the UAE.