Good Morning, Dubai!-4

Jamalludin abruptly stopped his cab on the kerb 100 metres after he took me on outside Tusit Thani, the Thai specialty five-star hotel, on Sheikh Zayed Road on Tuesday night. What happened? He downed my side window and began asking directions to Jumeira from a fellow-cabbie. He got his response in English and flashed an apologetic smile. Immediately, I knew I am being taken for a ‘ride’ because the lean and emaciated looking Pakistani cabbie is new to Dubai and has no clue to the locations except Zayed Road! After a few minutes, he stopped near another cab near DIFC and got out. From his gestures, I could make out that he met his soul mate. I downed windows to hear his convesations. The two cabbies were speaking in an unrecognizable language – which I later understood to be Pashtu. My cabbie is from Peshawar.

After his return, he exhibited much more confident. The mid-30s Pakistani cabbie began to open up once he realized that I am from India and can speak Hindi. “Am here for the past 10 months and find interesting. Earlier I was in Abu Dhabi,” he says. Roughly 30,000 Dirhams he has spent over 9 car license tests! He almost went broke. Thirty five per cent of his total monthly revenue is his salary and assures me that he somehow makes it every month. He gives me his mobile number and refuses to accept money from me, because I am his half-brother from India! I thrust the fare into his shirt pocket and hug him. Indo-Pak bhai, bhai!

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Global meltdown impact on Dubai is seen on the front pages of Gulf News. The lead story on Tuesday edition talks about the government amending certain laws to permit job losing expats to remain in Dubai on their visas for 30 days after the last day at work. This is basically to give time for them to find alternate jobs. There is also a clamour to give some concessions to their new employers in terms of reducing the processing fee etc. The National from Abu Dhabi, in its editorial, says 30 days is too short and canvasses for a longer gestation period. These people have spent a lot of time in this part of the world and have absorbed the local culture and got attuned. Recession is a temporary phenomenon and when the economy revives, UAE may need fresh workforce. It is better to give those who have had an exposure to Dubai a better deal than hiring a fresh lot. Assimilation takes a helluva lot of time. Am sure, many would appreciate such a gesture.

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“I am lucky,” says Abdul as we drive down the Zayed Road for a meeting with someone. Why? “So far, I have made three return trips from Media City to Dubai. This is my fourth one and I don’t have to pay ‘salik’ (toll)!” he explains. Everytime he passes the main thoroughfare, 4 dirhams from his smart card is deducted through the scanner installed on the road by reading the sticker stuck on his front glass panel. Abdul says four dirhams is too much. “They provide better roads and take money from you for that!,” he utters. Any trip after donating 24 dirhams on any single day is free! That should explain Abdul’s happiness.

The economic impact is visible as many drivers try to avoid cruising through toll roads by taking free roads which naturally get choked up. On the one hand, their pay check has got a hit and over and above that, they have to shell out for using public utilities heftily, says Abdul. “The gap between any two cars at times is more than 200 metres!” he says gleefully. Once upon a time – hardly 6-8 months ago, it was a bumper to bumper drive. In a way, he is happy that he is able to drive at 100 km/hour speed at some sections of Zayed Road. Unimaginable until recently.
Insha Allah!