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A multi-level parking facility, comprising 365 parking slots, has been reopened in Deira’s Al Sabkha area after four months of maintenance work, including the upgrade of electromechanical and civil setups at the facility which was undertaken by the RTA.

“Carrying out these maintenance works comes in line with the RTA’s strategic goals aimed at addressing the requirements of safety and sustainability of the building in terms of increasing its lifespan,” said Basil Ibrahim Saad, director of facilities and installations at the RTA’s Technical Support Services Sector. “Maintenance and rehabilitation works of the multi-level parking lot included upgrading and maintaining the electromechanical and civil aspects of the facility.

“Works were also undertaken in implementation of RTA’s vision, objectives and strategic goals to provide best services to the public,” Saad added.

Al Sabkha is a popular trading hub in Deira, and is closely located near the Gold Souq and other wholesale and retail markets in the vicinity. Average use of the Sabkha facility in 2013 clocked at 1,500 vehicles per day. “This is particularly relevant as Sabkha is a popular and vibrant trading hub busy with shoppers and wholesalers; which warrants the provision of efficient and high-quality parking facilities,” Saad continued.

“Maintenance and rehab works were carried out at top quality and safety standards in order to upgrade this terminal and offer excellent services to the public.”

Construction activity in ‘old Dubai’ and Deira has steadily increased since the commencement of 2014; Nakheel recently awarded international firm AE7 multiple contracts worth $12.8 million to undertake design, supervision, master-planning, parcelisation, architectural and engineering services on its Deira Islands project.

Phase 1 of the government-approved Al Mamzar Corniche Beach Development has also been completed, with the Dubai Municipality working towards full completion on the 1KM-long beach by the end of the year. A representative from the Municipality told Big Project ME in April that the Dubai Creek could soon be registered as a UN Heritage Site.

“We (Dubai Municipality) are in talks with the UN to register the creekside in Old Dubai as a heritage site,” Najib Mohammed Saleh, head of the Planning and Research section at Dubai Municipality’s Planning Department said. “Al Fahidi remains the most important trading hub in the city.

“Even today, most trading activities take place there. Business is not only in the shopping malls.”