Tag Archives: horoscope
Eating and drinking top Metro violations
Eating and drinking top Metro violations Staff Reporter / 26 September 2013 As many as 12,948 tickets were issued for violations on Dubai Metro trains from January to July this year with a monthly average of 1,850 violations. The Red and Green Lines of Dubai Metro have been witnessing a huge throng — over 300 million passengers used the Green and Red lines since the beginning of Metro services till July this year, with a daily average of 364,779 passengers from January to July this year. However, the Red Line is used more by passengers than the Green Line. The average number of passengers using the Red Line daily reached 236,044 from January to July, against 128,735 commuters on the Green Line in the same period. Mohammed Al Mudharreb, Director of Rail Operation at the Roads and Transport Authority’s Rail Agency, ascribed the violations committed by passengers to a lack of culture of optimal use of the services though the RTA had distributed booklets and leaflets containing information and guidelines on the terms that should be followed inside the trains and stations to maintain the safety of passengers and trains. The booklets also contained a detailed explanation of the types of violations and fines applicable in this regard. Al Mudharreb pointed out that eating and drinking in prohibited areas was the most common violation, followed by moving in a carriage other than the allowed one like people travelling in the Gold carriage when they had only Silver cards and men travelling in carriages meant for women and children. The BurJuman (Khalid bin Al Waleed) Metro Station, which is one of the two transfer stations where the Red and Green lines intersect, was the most used station by passengers since it is near the popular trading shops and residential areas. The average daily number of passengers who used the BurJuman Metro Station from January to July came to 23,000 followed by Al Ittihad (Union) Metro Station which is the other transfer station. The Union station, he said, was characterised by being close to the business hub in Dubai. It saw an average of 20,000 passengers daily during that period, while the Deira City Centre Station witnessed a daily average of 18,000 passengers. The Nakheel Harbour and Tower Station was the least used station with only 618 on average daily from January to July since it is far away from residential and commercial areas, followed by the Etisalat station with 1,911 passengers using it daily during that period. The RTA operates 79 trains now — 62 on the Red Line and 17 on the Green Line. news@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Pakistan quake death toll nears 350; hundreds of houses destroyed
Pakistan quake death toll nears 350; hundreds of houses destroyed Faisal Aziz / 26 September 2013 The death toll from a deadly earthquake that hit southwestern Pakistan crossed 350 on Thursday after hundreds of mud houses collapsed on their inhabitants throughout the remote and thinly populated area, officials said. Rescue workers struggled to reach the remote towns of the Balochistan province affected by the tremors. The 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck many cities but most of the damage was done in the Balochistan province. The remote district of Awaran was worst-affected, while five other districts also suffered damages, officials said. “Two hundred and eighty five bodies have so far been recovered in the Awaran district,” Abdul Rasheed Gogazai, the deputy commissioner of Awaran, the worst affected area, said. “And 42 bodies were found in the neighbouring Kech district,” he added. But, Balohcistan government spokesman Jan Mohammed Buledi confirmed 208 deaths in Awaran and 43 in Kech district. Talking to Khaleej Times on phone from Quetta, he put the number of injured at more than 500. Buledi said six districts of the province were hit by the quake — Awaran, Kech, Gwadar, Khuzdar, Panjgur and Chaghi. “At least 300,000 people have been affected by the calamity, and most of the houses in Awaran and Kech have been destroyed,” he said. – news@khaleejtimes.com (With inputs from Reuters) Continue reading
Dh15.8b housing loans, projects for Abu Dhabi
Dh15.8b housing loans, projects for Abu Dhabi (Wam) / 26 September 2013 The Abu Dhabi Executive Council, at a meeting chaired by Gen Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and Chairman of the Council, on Wednesday approved housing loans and infrastrucrure projects worth Dh15.8 billion. The Council adopted a number of development projects related to infrastructure and social development sectors, and endorsed a new batch of housing loans for citizens. It also discussed advancing work at a number of projects in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, including the nuclear energy project, stressing the importance of such projects and their role in adopting efficient solutions for clean energy. General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed addressing the Abu Dhabi Executive Council meeting on Wednesday as Shaikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor, looks on. — Wam — Dh3.1billion payment of housing loans for 1554 beneficiaries: The Council decided to allocate Dh3.1 billion as a new installment of housing loans for 1,554 beneficiaries. The decision clearly illustrates the keenness of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to secure a social environment with high life quality to all citizens. This would help develop a stable upbringing of individuals and their families and furthermore strengthen social cohesion, which is very essential for the development and progress of all nations. The new loans will benefit 689 beneficiaries from Abu Dhabi, 756 from the Eastern Region and 109 beneficiaries from the Western Region. Names of the beneficiaries will be announced later on and they will be notified about the procedures of imbursement in a way that serves their free choice of the designs of their new houses or they may complete their houses that are still under construction. Dh4.3 billion for Al Ain New Hospital Project: As part of the government efforts to improve health and medical services in Al Ain, the Council approved Dh4.3 billion to fund Al Ain new hospital project. Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha) has been assigned to conclude an agreement with a contractor to carry out the project. Upon completion, the hospital will help provide fully integrated medical services and enhance health safety. Besides, it will upgrade the emirate’s status as a scientific hub with distinguished health and social services that could match what we can see in the developed countries. The new hospital will accommodate 719 beds distributed for general medicine, surgery, children’s ward, maternity, ICU, medical rehabilitation, VIP patients and royal suites. It will also include 104 advanced specialized clinics, 17 units for X-ray, CT Scan and MRI techniques as well as 22 specialised units for endoscopy diagnosis. Dh5.2billion for implementing 1st, 3rd and 4th stages of Al Mafraq-Al Ghuwaifat road project: During the meeting, the Council designated the Department of Transport (DoT) to conclude agreements with contractors to implement the first, third and fourth sections of the 248km-long Al Mafraq-Al Ghuwaifat Road Development Project with a total cost of Dh5.291 billion. This includes constructing 15 upper intersections and providing the road with electricity posts. The project is one of the initiatives of the DoT’s strategic plan designed to improve the transport sector and enable it work more efficiently to better serve the economy of the Emirate. Meanwhile, the project will help reduce car accidents, improve road safety, accommodate traffic curtail traffic jams and shorten travel time when travelling to the Western Region or Saudi Arabia. The DoT has already completed the second part of the project, the 80km-long Al Ruwais Road. Sections A &B of Abu Dhabi-Dubai Road Project: The Council also assigned the DoT to reach agreements with contractors to carry out construction work of sections A and B of Abu Dhabi-Dubai Highway Road Project with a total cost of Dh1.966 billion. The 62km two-way road project with four lanes for each direction extends from Seeh She’ib area to Suwaihan Road. It includes six intersections, three for each section, in addition to bridges designed to protect the gas pipelines. High-voltage cables that intersects with the road track will also be removed. Lighting work and other relevant facilities are included in the project. The project is seen as an additional strategic road linking Abu Dhabi Emirate with Dubai and the northern emirates. It will ease traffic congestion along the current Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway. The new road will also connect Khalifa Port with the industrial zone area and serve the other industrial areas and the emerging populated areas and housing projects particularly in Al Falah area. Dh810 million to finance a power generation linkage project: The Council decided to forward an Dh810 million project to contractors who will import, install and modify air cables used to link the newly established power generation stations with other stations in the area. The project aims to transport the generated electricity from the new station to other areas to meet the increasing demand on electricity as a result of the population growth and economic and urban development in the emirate particularly in the Western Region. Dh132 million allocated for sewage water treatment plant project in Al Ruwais: The Council approved a project to set up a sewage water treatment plant in Al Ruwais (Western Region) with a total cost of Dh132 million. Abu Dhabi Sewage Services Company was assigned by the council to conclude a contract with a company to execute the project. The new plant aims to meet demands resulting from the ongoing expansion in industrial zones in Al Ruwais. It goes in line with the development plans of the Higher Foundation for Specialized Economic Zones and the labour towns in Al Ruwais. The project includes the establishment of a wastewater reclamation plant with a capacity of 15000 cubic metre a day. There will be also a receiving station which could receive 16 tanks and a 10km water pumping pipeline to convey treated water to the forest areas reservoirs in Ghayathy area. The new plant takes into account any environmental damages as it is provided with a system to treat bad scents at all stages and another system for monitoring. Continue reading
