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Dubai: It takes Habib Ahmad 20 minutes to half-an-hour every day to find a parking space near his residence in Sharjah.
He lives in a two-bedroom apartment in the fast developing area of Al Nahda for Dh60,000 per month. The building has a multi-storey parking lot for its tenants for Dh4,000 annually but it is unlikely that Habib will get the space reserved for his vehicle because there are about 200 tenants already on the waiting list.
"I am willing to pay Dh5,000 to get a parking space for my vehicle. My vehicle was damaged when parked in the open. I wonder if I can buy a parking space on the black market by paying some extra money," he said.
Many residents in Sharjah share Habib's woes as finding a parking space proves increasingly daunting for residents.
Open spaces in residential areas like Al Majaz, Al Nahda, Al Khan, Al Qassimiya and Abu Shag-ara are fast taken up by the current construction boom.
"Our residential building has an underground parking facility but the irony is that it has been turned into a warehouse.
"I pay Dh40,000 for a single bedroom apartment. I am willing to pay for the underground parking in my building but I was turned down.
"According to the real estate office, they make more money by letting it out to big supermarkets to store their goods," said Mustafa Abdul Kader, a resident of Al Nahda.
A senior official from the Sharjah civic body said there are plans to construct 4,500 multi-storey car parks in various areas of the city. The construction will be done in phases.
In the first phase, the car parks will come up in Al Majaz, Abu Shagara, Al Qadasiya, Al Soor and Um Tarrafa.
The civic body said that more than 30,000 square feet have already been allocated, and the buildings will consist of seven floors.
Multi-purpose
The basement will be allocated to markets, five floors will be for parking, and the sixth floor will hold offices and the final level will be a health club.
Residents in Al Rolla, Jamal Abdul Nasser, Abu Shagara and Al Khan said that the situation became all the more difficult with the introduction of parking meters.
"To find a space in these paid parking spots during daytime is quite easy but the real fun starts after 9pm when it is free. Domestic helpers and the children help reserve a space for their family members," said Mohammad Abdullah, an Egyptian resident of Al Khan.
"It takes two hours to reach Sharjah and another half hour to find a parking space. I live in Al Majaz in Sharjah.
"There were some good open spaces where people used to park their cars but now construction sites have mushroomed on those empty lots. There have been times when I had to park in Buhaira and walk back home. But I was glad that I found a parking space," said Sumesh Lakhria.
He said he failed to find a slot in one of the multi-storey car park buildings in Al Khan.
"I even tried to offer money to a watchman of a residential building so that he will find me a parking space," said Lakhria.
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