Dubai: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has deployed a fleet of buses to bring visitors to the Global Village from various emirates in a bid to encourage people to use public transport and help cut down on traffic jams.
Besides the 29 buses for Dubai residents, it has deployed 15 inter-city buses for people in Sharjah, Al Ain, and Abu Dhabi.
It is anticipated that these buses will carry around 1,200 to 2,000 passengers every day and the number is likely to reach 3,000 passengers during weekends, especially with the start of the Dubai Shopping Festival, a senior RTA officer said.
The buses will be fitted with a giant front screen that provides passengers with a clear vision of the destination and route of the bus. Other screens are fitted to the left and right hand side of the bus displaying the same information in English and Arabic so that passengers can easily identify the bus.
Largest 'Manakish'
The official said these buses are part of the strategic plan developed by the RTA to attract more passengers and to minimise traffic bottlenecks. There will be a treat for those who enjoy food today, when the 'Largest Manakish' will be attempted by chefs to gain an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records. The food fest will take place at 5:30pm at Uptown Mirdiff, which will host this year's Dubai Food Festival until February 2.
Manakish consist of baked dough topped with cheese or thyme or ground meat, and it is an integral part of Middle Eastern cuisine. Chefs from the Lebanese restaurant Sidra will try to create a record size using about 10kg of thyme topping and more than 12 litres of oil.
Dubai Shopping Festival is celebrating 10 years of continuous record breaking, an organiser said.
Sixteen restaurants from some of the finest in Dubai are participating in the week-long event that will see a variety of cuisines spread out for food lovers. Activities include cooking demonstrations, competitions, entertainment, and loads of food to taste.
