Free parking in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for Hijri New Year

Motorists handed a cash boost before public holiday

a new e-ticket parking system is to be launched in Dubai. Pawan Singh/The National 

Public parking will be free across Dubai and Abu Dhabi in celebration of Hijri New Year.

The Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai  said that fees would be waived at all parking areas, except for multilevel car parks, on the occasion of the start of the Islamic New Year.

The Integrated Transport Centre in Abu Dhabi said all its parking bays across the city would also be free of charge.

The country’s human resources authority said earlier this month that public and public and private sectors would enjoy a day off on Muharram 1, Hijri 1441, but did not clarify which day that coincided with on the Gregorian Calendar.

The public holiday is expected to fall on Sunday, but is still to be confirmed.

Both authorities urged the public not to park their vehicles in prohibited areas and said rules related to resident permit parking bays remain as normal on the holiday.

Other services of the Roads and Transport Authority which have been affected by the holiday include the Dubai Metro. Metro stations on the Red Line will operate from 5am to midnight during the holiday, while the Green Line will operate from 5.30am to midnight.

Customer happiness centres linked with both the authorities will remain closed during the holiday, however the Smart Customer Happiness Centres at Umm Al Ramool in Dubai will operate 24/7, as usual. In Abu Dhabi, bus services will operate according to their usual schedule.

A full timetable of transport services during the Islamic New Year, including bus and marine transit modes for both authorities, is available on the  corresponding websites.