Housing for taxi drivers is still on hold

Cabbies say taxi villages would be vastly better than rooms that are intended for labourers, most of which are too crowded.

In 2010, Abu Dhabi taxi operator TransAD said it would build three taxi villages to house all its taxi driver employees. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

ABU DHABI // Five years after plans were announced for purpose-built accommodation for cabbies, drivers are still waiting for it to be completed.

The delay means many taxi drivers live in labour accommodation designed for construction workers, such as Workers Village and Icad Workers City on the capital’s outskirts.

In 2010, Abu Dhabi taxi operator TransAD said it would build three taxi villages to house all its taxi driver employees.

While they wait, many cabbies complained about their living conditions.

Y M, from Nepal, said: “The accommodation is very smelly and cleanliness is entirely ignored. When the weather is hot, the water gets too hot to take a shower.”

He said he shared a bedroom with 10 other people and a bathroom with up to 100.

He hoped that separate accommodation for taxi drivers would be a reality before too long.

M S, a Pakistani cabbie who said he worked 15 hours a day, had hoped the taxi village plans would allow him to bring his family to live there. “Long working hours affect our health and driving performance, which results in traffic fines,” he said.

“I live in Al Dhafra Workers Village in Mussaffah and share a room with 10 people,” he said.

“I don’t know why they accommodated us in labour camps, which were built for construction workers,” M S said.

M K, a Bangladeshi who drives for Al Arabia Taxis, said: “I live in Icad labour camp with 12 people. What we can do, we are taxi drivers? Our accommodation is on the company but if we opt for outside accommodation then we have to pay for that. In that case, what we would save?” said M K, who earns Dh3,500 a month.

TransAD’s initial plans were to build a taxi village in Mussaffah, followed by others Al Ain and Al Gharbia.

The villages were to consist of residences for drivers of all taxi companies operating in the emirate, as well as facilities such as hospitals, pharmacies, drivers’ training centres, supermarkets, entertainment rooms and sports fields.

Some drivers said conditions at their present labour accommodation was satisfactory.

Indian cab driver C G said: “I share with eight people at the labour camp in Mussaffah but the facilities are good. I don’t have any complaints.”

CG has a daily target of Dh500 but earns more than Dh3,000 a month.

“Living for me is not that much problem. The problem is the working hours. I work daily for 13 to 14 hours,” he said.

Y V, a Nepalese driver for Al Arabia Taxi, who also shares a room at the Icad labour camp with 10 others, said: “The number in a room should be reduced to four to make for better living conditions.”

He said his roommates worked odd hours, so people leaving and arriving at different times disturbed others’ sleep.

Abu Dhabi has more than 7,000 silver taxis, six special needs vans, 220 airport vans, and 270 Mercedes Vito vans.

TransAD did not respond to questions from The National.