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Government customers urged to avoid cars tomorrow Staff Reporter / 18 February 2014 Parking lots at Dubai Municipality Headquarters to be closed as 64 entities sign up for Car Free Day. Customers of entities participating in tomorrow’s Car Free Day initiative have also been requested to avoid using cars when they visit these departments. Commuters travelling on a Metro train on Car Free Day in Dubai on February 13 last year. — KT file photo As many as 64 government and private departments, ministries and companies are taking part in the 5th edition of Dubai Municipality’s Car Free Day drive. A few schools and universities have also signed up to participate. The Dubai Municipality launched the initiative in 2010 to protect the environment by promoting the use of public transport, especially the Metro and buses, which in turn, reduces road congestion. All parking lots at the Municipality’s headquarters, clinic, pest control section, veterinary section and so on would be shut throughout the day. However, the municipality centres detached to the headquarters are exempted from this, though the employees would ditch their cars to work. Meanwhile the Corporate Marketing and Relations Department of Dubai Municipality announced that the number of people registered online for the green initiative has reached approximately 4,000. Mohammed Al Noori, Director of Corporate Marketing and Relations Department said in a statement: “Civic Body, in collaboration with all major government departments and private companies in the emirate of Dubai, is proud to achieve this level of public awareness supporting the government of Dubai to accomplish its strategic goals in the preservation of environment for a better future. “We expect more people to register on the last day before the event. Our total target of this year was 7,000 to participate in the event. As long as the online registration itself reached 4000, we have great hope to exceed our expectation,” Al Noori said. ‘It’s worth mentioning that the residents of Dubai are well aware of their duty towards the initiatives launched by government departments especially the initiatives of civic body with the aim of achieving its vision to create an excellent city that provides essence of success and comfort of sustainable living,’ he said. “We need to change the attitude of people who are not much aware of the importance of such green initiatives. I am sure majority of the people can do something to spread the great message behind this event through their contacts so as to get the maximum result,” he added. Yousif Murad Salmeen, head of Media Section at Dubai Municipality said the Municipality was fully prepared to mark the event in a sophisticated way. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the Dubai Municipality, along with top officials of major government organisations will ride the metro from Etisalat Metro station at 7.30am and will reach to Union station at 7.45am, followed by the inauguration of the huge exhibition of green initiatives and eco-friendly equipment at the car parking area of Dubai Municipality headquarters, Salmeen said. “At 8am, a group of around 100 DM employees will conduct a bicycle rally from Deira City Centre to the DM main building to make a difference in the road culture of the city,” he said. “In addition, there would be a variety of traditional art performances and folk dances alongside the event. Hundred sport bicycles will be distributed to winners from the participants who registered online,” he added. sajila@khaleejtimes.com The participants The participants of this year’s Car Free Day include mainly the Ministry of Environment and Water; Ministry of Public Works; Ministry of Education; Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development; Ministry of Social Affairs; Ministry of Justice; Ministry of Economy; Land Department; Etisalat; Dubai Police; GDRFA; DCCI; RTA; Dubai Properties Group; Department of Economic Development; Financial Audit Department; Dubai Mall; Al Bayan; DHA; Dubai Educational Zone; Mohammed bin Rashid Housing; Dubai Healthcare City; Dubai Civil Aviation; American University of Dubai; University of Wollongong Dubai; Emirates Foundation for Cooling Systems; DMI; Dubai Arts and Culture; Al Serkal Group; Radisson Blu Hotel; Public Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare; Department of Finance; Dubai Customs; Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities; Shaikh Zayed Housing Foundation; Awqaf; Minors Affairs Foundation; Dubai Ambulance Services; Civil Defence; Dubai Police Academy; Dubai Courts; Dubai International Financial Centre; UAE Red Crescent Authority; Emirates Transport; Dubai Government School; University of Dubai; Mohammed bin Rashid School; Umm Suqeim School; Institute of Applied Technology; Holiday Inn; Dubai Sports Council; Al-Ahly; Al Wasl; UAE Football Association; Dubai Sports City; and Al Futtaim. 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