Commuters on the streets can now hail taxis by SMS
Commuters on the streets can now hail taxis by SMS
By Ashfaq Ahmed, Chief Reporter GULF NEWS Published: April 20, 2008, 00:34
Dubai: Passengers in Dubai no longer have to go through the daunting task of hailing a taxi on the road as they can now call one by just sending an SMS from their mobile phones, said a senior official.
The service has been designed for passengers who want to order taxis while waiting by the road, said Abdul Aziz Malek, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dubai Taxi Agency at the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
He said the taxi agency is installing small boards with location code numbers and a taxi sign on them by the side of the road. A passenger can send an SMS to 4774, mentioning the area code on the taxi board.
The customer will have to wait in the same location until the taxi arrives. Once the commuter sends the SMS, it will reach the booking terminal of Dubai Taxi Agency and the booking supervisor will send the nearest taxi to the customer.
The booking terminal will also send the taxi reservation number to the customer, which he needs to show to the taxi driver before boarding.
The starting fare for taxis booked via SMS will be Dh6 during the day (from 6am to 10pm) and Dh7 at night (from 10pm to 6am).
In addition to the new service, Dubai Taxi Agency will continue to offer reservations via telephone and the internet.
“The new service has been launched after complaints from commuters about hailing a cab while waiting by the roadside,” said Malek.
Currently, Dubai has around 6,500, taxis including 3,200 run by Dubai Taxi Agency.
Booking taxis
Website: http://www.dubaitaxi.ae
Call centre: 2080808
New medical form for accident victims
New medical form for accident victims
Staff Report GULF NEWS Published: April 20, 2008, 00:34
Dubai: New medical check-up forms for accident victims were approved in a meeting for the Traffic Department heads in Dubai’s police department and the Dubai Health Authority.
The new forms used for those injured in car accidents will categorise their degrees of injury.
The meeting, which was attended by Lieutenant Colonel Abdul Al Qadir Al Banay, head of the Rashiddiya police station, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Al Fishti, head of the Al Qusais police station, Younis Khadum, director of Medical Affairs at the Health Authority, and other senior officials from both departments, discussed the importance of preserving the rights of all those entailed in car accidents.
The meeting also decided that the official language used in the approved medical forms has to be Arabic.
A coordinator from the Traffic Department was chosen for the exchange of medical reports, to ease cooperation between police and the health authority, to activate institutional partnership as indicated in the strategic plan of the Police Department.
The National – a new era in newspaper history of UAE
The National – was released today in the UAE, marking a new era in the newspaper history of UAE. A great start and we hope to enjoy more interesting news and features as it starts it’s journey around.
The newspaper can be accessed online at http://www.thenational.ae
Atlantis to open in September
Atlantis to open in September
Staff Report GULF NEWS Published: April 16, 2008, 15:19
Dubai: Atlantis, The Palm will open this September as the flagship resort on The Palm Jumeirah – the first resort to open its doors on the first of Dubai’s palm trilogy, the company said in a statement.
Created by Kerzner International Holdings, a leading international developer and operator of destination resorts, the new 1,539-room resort began accepting reservations on February 1.
“Already attracting interest from around the world, Atlantis anticipates Middle East residents will account for 30 per cent of all visitors, with UAE residents expected to make up a quarter of guests from the region,” the statement said.
With its enviable location atop the crescent of The Palm Jumeirah, the opening of Atlantis, The Palm will be a landmark event, redefining tourism in Dubai and the Middle East as the first truly integrated entertainment resort.
The resort will encompass a 460,000 square metre site with 170,000 square metres of water-themed amusement at Aquaventure, extensive fresh and salt-water pools and lagoon exhibits, an open-aired marine habitat, an endless stretch of beach, luxury boutiques, numerous dining choices including four celebrity chef restaurants, an exciting nightclub, a spa and fitness club, and 5,600 square metres of meeting and function space.
“This is an exciting time for the Middle East and for Kerzner International. With the introduction of a new world icon in The Palm Jumeirah and our position as the flagship resort of this icon, Atlantis, The Palm will be the new gateway to this region. Out of a vision that married the wonders of marine life with stunning elegance and sweeping views of the Arabian Gulf alongside the most exciting water playground in this part of the world, we have developed an experience within Atlantis that is truly different than the existing pleasures of Dubai. We’re proud of the final product and cannot wait to share it in September when we open our doors,” said Sol Kerzner, executive chairman, Kerzner International.
Atlantis, The Palm can be accessed by a six-lane underwater vehicle tunnel, which surfaces next to the resort. Alternately, guests may also choose to leave their cars at the base of the trunk in a secure, dedicated parking area, and board a monorail to be transported through the centre of The Palm Jumeirah directly to Atlantis, The Palm.
Municipal clinics will not conduct medical tests for visas from July 1
Municipal clinics will not conduct medical tests for visas from July 1
By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter GULF NEWS Published: April 17, 2008, 00:15
Dubai: As of July 1, municipal clinics will not be allowed to conduct medical tests for residence and labour visas.
The UAE Cabinet reached the decision recently.
Expatriates are required to undergo medical testing every three years or when they change jobs to check for infectious diseases such as HIV/Aids and tuberculosis. Anyone found to be HIV-positive is deported.
Humaid Al Qutami, Minister of Health, told Gulf News the decision was reached to ensure public safety.
“No municipalities [will do the testing] anymore. It is not their speciality to test people for infectious diseases,” he said. He added municipalities had other responsibilities.
Under the new decision, medical facilities run by the preventive medicine department at the ministry, Dubai Health Authority and Abu Dhabi Health Authority will be the only ones tasked with the testing.
To ease the expected congestion at the health facilities, Al Qutami said in future the ministry would allow private facilities to conduct residence and labour visa medical testing.
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