ABU DHABI: Restaurant owners in Abu Dhabi say they are losing business due to Mawaqif’s “residents only parking” rule and their customers can’t park their vehicles even after paying the parking fee.
Inspectors slap Dh200 fine if they find the vehicle doesn’t belong to the area’s residents. So customers avoid visiting the restaurants after 9pm.
Even if parking spaces remain empty, people from other localities can’t park their vehicles due to strict Mawaqif rules.
Traders have demanded Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport, which manages the parking in Abu Dhabi, to change the timing of residents only parking from 9pm to 11pm so that their customers can park their cars.
A comment from the department was not available.
Nawfy Segu Alawudeen, manager of Hyderabadi Star restaurant in Abu Dhabi, said: “The dinner time actually starts at 8pm and just after an hour residents only parking rule comes into force, so people from other areas can’t park their vehicles there.”
“We are sitting in the main market but losing our business. We have to throw a large quantity of food in waste bins everyday,” said Alawudeen.
“If we get at least a couple of more hours for parking then everybody in the market will be happy — not only restaurant owners but other businesses too,” he said.
Business owners say that parking lots are almost equally divided into residents only and open parking areas. While open parking areas are full, residents’ only parking lots remain vacant but still people can’t park there even after paying a fee.
The problem is severe in localities where bachelors reside in most of buildings like Elektra, Hamdan Street and Al Zhahia (previously known as Tourist Club Area).
As per Mawaqif rules, paid parking slots are open for all public in most localities of Abu Dhabi from 8am to 9pm, and from 9pm to 8am more than half of parking lots are reserved for families who reside in the area and hold Mawaqif permits of “residents only parking”.
Resident permits cost Dh400 for six months and Dh800 for a year. They can park anywhere in their locality, while open parking fee is Dh2 and Dh3 per hour for standard and premium parking respectively, and Dh15 for 24 hours.
Hamid Bin Abdullah Sharabi, owner of Ritaj restaurant, said, “In the evening we lose 75 per cent of our business. Even after 9pm, it’s very difficult to take parcels as inspectors issue fines and police ask people to move out their vehicles. Our rents are same and business is down,” he said.
U.L. Pujari from Garden Side refreshments in Al Zahiya on Hamdan Street, said: “Business drops after 9pm as people who don’t have residents only parking permits can’t park their vehicles here.”
Customers have also urged authorities to extend the parking timing for non-residents in the main business areas particularly near eateries and restaurants.
Shahbaz Jameel from India, said: “We can buy other commodities during the day or visit the place before 9pm but for dinner, we have to come here after 8pm.”
“Even If we start from home at 8pm, we would reach the place at 8.30pm. After finding the parking and putting the ticket we barely get 15 minutes to finish our dinner. If it gets past 9pm Mawaqif inspectors impose fines on our vehicles.”
