As the new academic year started in the UAE after the summer break, many residents faced heavy traffic jams on the roads. Motorists had to leave home early to reach their destinations on time, with some spending up to 45 minutes in traffic. Parents dropping their children to school on the first day faced additional challenges as they navigated through the congestion.
To avoid getting stuck in traffic, many motorists opted to take Salik routes to reach their destinations quickly. Despite the heavy traffic, residents tried to plan their commute strategically to minimize delays. Some working parents chose the Salik routes, while non-working parents took other non-Salik routes to drop their children to school.
One resident, Karen Lobo, mentioned that it took her an extra 45 minutes to reach the office due to heavy traffic in Oud Metha. Many parents had parked their cars by the side of the roads to drop their children to school, leading to further congestion. Some of Lobo’s colleagues also faced delays in reaching work on time due to the traffic.
Sharrah Khilawala, a mother of two, left 40 minutes early to drop her daughter to school, considering the increased traffic on the roads. She highlighted that the first day of school attracted more vehicles on the roads, causing delays for many commuters. Khilawala opted for the Salik route to save time and reach her destination without much delay on the road.
Another resident, Abu Ahmed, experienced heavier traffic while dropping his son to school in Ajman. He mentioned traffic congestion at various points along the route, including Al Khan signal and Al Wahda Street. To avoid the main roads, Ahmed had to navigate through side streets to drop his son at school in Ajman, as the roads leading to schools were busy in the early morning hours.
