Tuesday, January 15, 2008

underwater city

So SHJ has become an underwater city again!.

Whoever is involved with planning of SHJ need to realize, an efficient infrastructure is the lifeline of an Emirate. The lack of what clearly seems insufficient planning towards the city's infrastructure is appalling.

Issues given the recent downpour in DXB is not bad compared to underwater city next door -good 'ol SHJ. It seems we never learn from the past or the neighbour next door. SHJ is a disaster - residents are overwhelmed given the constant pour & flooding. A friend left for work this morning at 8:45AM and got into Dubai Damac offices at 2PM! Another friend's rental car outlet, is flooded, given SHJ's drainage system is clogged and/or overwhelmed.

Across newer areas of Al Nahda & Al Khan (the new Corniche area) there's just way too many construction of high rises and insufficient roads or sewage structure.

As you drive into SHJ(from DXB) - can't help notice close proximity of buildings, often built right on the highway - there is just no room for expansion - in some instances, residents step off the building lobby, right into a highway, I kid you not! There is little (read none/zero)concept applied, similar to DXB, wherein a buffer is maintained for future road (width) expansion.

SHJ can be the beautiful Emirate/suburbia, it once was - people need to stop/scale back on ill fated planning, pointless beautification projects & most often, greed driven high rise construction craze. Take a look at what they've done to the lovely Buhaira Corniche, once amongst the most beautiful places in the UAE. Collectively, it's killing this once beautiful Emirate.

Apologies on the rant - can't help it.

3 comments:

i*maginate said...

"infrastructure is the lifeline of an Emirate"

Absolutely right - investing in digging a few holes here and there will actually be better for the economy. Even though it seldom rains in Dubai/Shj, I don't remember the situation being as bad as it has been this last week. Must have cost the economy a lot - I looked at the pic on the UAE Comm blog of City Centre looking like a river - because the roads were so waterlogged, I bet people didn't go out unless necessary, and so consumer spending was minimal.

With the amount of cars breaking down outside my home, it wasn't so tempting to go out!

rosh said...

Very true i* - SHJ pretty much came to a standstill - terrible for the economy. Trust me things at DXB wasn't bad when compared to crippled SHJ.

SHJ City Center is built right on that busy Al Wahda street - it clogs traffic on a normal day - and with the rain, practically cut off SHJ's life line into DXB (Emirates road was clogged as well).

Thanks for saying something for SHJ - I feel nobody cares of this once lovely place anymore.

i*maginate said...

"Thanks for saying something for SHJ - I feel nobody cares of this once lovely place anymore."

Well, it's your hometown, innit...

And I believe we are living in a land of 7 emirates, not just one or two... ;-)

It's strange how some ppl live in Dubai and rarely venture out of town!