The three-day weekend and several exciting new projects in Sharjah have improved the work-life balance for many, but residents believe that having a metro and better connectivity would, to a large extent, solve the traffic problems they face.
Earlier this week households in Sharjah were urged to participate in a citywide census by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah, who said it will pave the way for more development projects.
When asked which projects they would like to see, people in the emirate told The National that a metro line that connects the emirate to Dubai would be beneficial.
An efficient, safe and cost-effective public transport system, the replacement of roundabouts with bridges, the construction of hospitals in remote areas and the opening of schools outside popular school zones are some of the things on their wishlist.
“A metro in Sharjah will not only reduce traffic congestion and end the hours-long commute from and to the emirate, but also help in protecting the environment,” said Abdulrahman Saeed, 33, from Sudan.
“It also means more time with family and well-rested employees, who will certainly be more productive.”
Yaqoob Al Hammadi, a retired educational expert, agreed with Mr Abdulrahman that the metro was perhaps the best option to solve traffic problems in the city and to and from Dubai.
“It is essential that Sharjah introduces a train or a metro,” he said.
Another important project that people want to see put in place is the removal of clusters of schools from a few areas.
“Several schools are in the same area and this is something that must be looked at,” Mr Al Hammad said.
Every day hundreds of parents pick up their children at the same time and from the same zone, leading to traffic jams that affect nearby districts.
“I used to send my children to school an hour earlier and pick them up an hour late to avoid traffic gridlocks around their school complex,” Mr Al Hammad said.
Yousif Saleem, 50, a Jordanian father of two, spends between three and four hours on school runs every day.
“My children go to Rosary private school in Muwaileh area, which is home to at least 20 schools,” he said.
“Can you imagine the number of cars on that one street during drop-off and pick-up hours?”
Emirati Khaled Mohammed, 48, believes that remote areas such as Dibba Al Hisn and Kalba need better services.
“We are talking about schools, hospitals, better roads and malls to provide people living in these areas with all the services they need,” he said.
“Even in the city, several internal roads are still not paved.”
Longer weekend in Sharjah — in pictures
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Under-21 European Championship Final
Germany 1 Spain 0
Weiser (40')
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
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Look%20Both%20Ways
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Wanuri%20Kahiu%3Cbr%3EStars%3A%20Lili%20Reinhart%2C%20Danny%20Ramirez%2C%20David%20Corenswet%2C%20Luke%20Wilson%2C%20Nia%20Long%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20Profile
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Meydan card
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 (PA) Group 1 US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm: Conditions (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,400m
7.40pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (TB) $100,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,200m
8.50pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 (TB) Group 2 $350,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,900m
10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
