ABU DHABI // The Dh1 billion Sheikh Zayed Bridge was officially opened last night with a ribbon cutting ceremony conducted by Sheikh Khalifa, the President of the UAE.
The 842-metre construction, which spans the Maqta Channel, is the fourth bridge to link Abu Dhabi to the mainland and has been almost eight years in construction.
The bridge, which was designed by the Iraqi-born British architect Zaha Hadid, has been mired in delays and budget overruns, and had initially been due for completion more than three years ago.
Sheikh Khalifa said the bridge would herald further achievements for the UAE, which would place the nation among the most advanced countries in the world, according to the official news agency, WAM.
"The bridge which bears the name of our father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, is more than a link between two points," he was quoted by WAM as saying.
"It is a symbol for the continuous development process started by the late Sheikh Zayed and an evidence to our determination to pursue the goals of Plan Abu Dhabi 2030," he said.
The opening ceremony was also attended by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and a host of senior government figures such as Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, the Minister of Interior.
After cutting the ribbon, Sheikh Khalifa viewed the designs and plans for different phases of the bridge's construction.
Abu Dhabi Municipality announced last month that construction work on the bridge had been completed, but did not announce when it would be opened to the public.
Officials said that only a few final details, such as laying tiles for the emergency footpath, painting, signage on the links between both ends of the bridge and some dredging had yet to be completed.
The bridge is composed of three main arches, made of steel and mounted on concrete supports. The arches and cables support two four-lane carriageways, an emergency lane and a pedestrian walkway, running through and alongside the roller-coaster framework.
It is a mark of Abu Dhabi's rapidly accelerating expansion that when the bridge was originally designed it featured only two lanes in each direction; as the city's population expanded, planners realised they needed to double its capacity and the design was amended.
The arch of the central span soars 63m high; more than two-thirds of the height of the nearby Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The bridge is designed to withstand wind gusts of 160 kilometres per hour. It has three sand dune-shaped arches linked together by concrete blocks that are reinforced with steel wires.
The bridge is also designed to absorb double the average traffic load. The 666 concrete pillars were constructed using 480 tons of concrete, 5,000 tons of pre-stressed steel structure and 2,000 tons of foundation steel.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
The Equaliser 2
Director Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Denzel Washington, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Ashton Sanders
Three stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Cases of coronavirus in the GCC as of March 15
Saudi Arabia – 103 infected, 0 dead, 1 recovered
UAE – 86 infected, 0 dead, 23 recovered
Bahrain – 210 infected, 0 dead, 44 recovered
Kuwait – 104 infected, 0 dead, 5 recovered
Qatar – 337 infected, 0 dead, 4 recovered
Oman – 19 infected, 0 dead, 9 recovered
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
