No more daily cap on Salik from July 15

Motorists in Dubai passing through toll gates more than six times in a day will now have to pay more, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has said. From July 15, the maximum daily cap of Dh24 on Salik will be removed as motorists will be charged every time they cross a toll gate. Previously, motorists who crossed the toll gate more than six times in a day, were not charged in excess of Dh24 which was the daily cap. Khalid Mehmood, a motorist who commutes from Al Nahda area in Dubai to his office in Dubai Media City said the move would not make a lot of difference to him as he had to pay a maximum Dh24 if he used the toll route. “Taking the alternative route during peak hours in the morning and evening is not an option because there is a lot of traffic. It is better to spend Dh4 and pay Salik because it saves time,” said Khalid. The decision to remove the daily cap comes three months after the launch of Al Mamzar and Airport Tunnel Salik gates — which have eased pressure on the Dubai-Sharjah Al Ittihad road. Not everyone seemed upset with the decision as Asom Jawad, a commuter, said: “Every destination in Dubai can be reached by avoiding Salik gates.” The Salik toll system was introduced by the RTA in July 2007. Each time motorists cross through a Salik toll gate, they are charged Dh4. Salik gates are placed on six key roads in Dubai and motorists can use alternative routes to avoid paying the toll. In a Press release, the RTA stated that the decision to lift the daily cap would affect only five per cent of Salik users, as 95 per cent of private vehicles did not pass under Salik gates more than six times a day. The RTA explained that the underlying objective of this decision was to encourage motorists to use alternative roads such as Al Khail Road, and the Mohammed Bin Zayed Road in order to ease the pressure on the traffic corridors subjected to the toll gate system. Another motorist, Jay Sankar said the new rule would not make a difference to many people. “I think the rule would affect trucks and school buses who use Salik routes on a more regular basis during a day. It’s a good idea, especially since the alternate routes are not used by such companies,” said Jay. While private vehicle users may not be as affected, transport companies operating in Dubai may be hit by the move as they now have to pay for more than six trips using Salik in a day. The RTA officials could not be reached for a comment at the time of going to the Press. - Khaleejtimes