Dubai motorists can soon look forward to filling up their cars using neither cash nor card under a new smart payment partnership between the emirate's road toll gate operator and a leading petrol station company.
An agreement announced on Thursday between Salik Company and Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc) will allow for fuel payments at service stations to be deducted from Salik e-wallets.
The move is part of a broader government drive to promote digital services, boost efficiency and raise customer service standards.
When the new digital system will be introduced has yet to be revealed but the companies are to launch joint marketing campaigns to publicise the scheme.
Salik e-wallets are used by drivers as a payment method for charges incurred after passing through the city's 10 toll gates. The account balance can be topped up online to ensure sufficient funds are in place at all times.
Under the plan, cameras with automatic number-plate recognition technology will be used at Enoc's network of service stations to identify the driver's Salik registration.
Payment can then be deducted automatically from the Salik account linked to the number plate.
Enoc has more than 200 service stations across the UAE, including 114 in Dubai.
“Our collaboration with Enoc supports Salik’s broader strategy to drive digital transformation across the transportation and services sector," said Ibrahim Al Haddad, chief executive of Salik Company.
"By introducing innovative, secure and seamless payment methods, we aim to enhance convenience for customers and road users.
"This partnership reinforces our commitment to delivering advanced technologies that simplify transactions, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen Salik’s position as a key enabler of sustainable and intelligent mobility solutions across the emirate of Dubai.”
Saif Al Falasi, group chief executive of Enoc, said the agreement was a "significant step towards enhancing the customer journey at our service stations".
Why Dubai introduced toll gates
The Salik system was introduced in 2007 to ease traffic congestion, raise state revenue and encourage residents to use public transport.
The first two gates were installed in Gharoud and Barsha, with Safa and Maktoum bridge gates added a year later. In 2013, three more were introduced, at Airport Tunnel, and two at Mamzar – south and north. In 2018, the Jebel Ali gate was created.
Two new Salik gates – at the Business Bay Crossing on Al Khail Road and at Al Safa South on Sheikh Zayed Road – were activated in November.
Motorists are charged to pass through each gate, with the amount deducted automatically from tags fixed to vehicle windscreens. The tags can be bought online or at service stations, and topped up online or through recharge cards.
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Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
