What? Now pay to park at Dubai Mall
Seamless parking is predicted, but it comes at a cost.
Parking at the one of Dubai’s busiest shopping complexes – Dubai Mall – used to be a gratis feature. However now in a move that might not go down too well with customers, the Mall will be issuing charging parking fares from July 1st, 2024. However, it is not an across-the-board move and there are to be some perceived benefits. Parking locations at Zabeel and Fountain Views will be exempt from the tariff, while the Grand Parking, Cinema Parking and Fashion Parking will extract the fare.
Another concession is that motorists will not be charged for the first four hours of parking their vehicle. But then, they will have to cough up fares ranging from AED 20 between 4 and 5 hours increasing in scale all the way to AED 1,000 for 24 hours. Following is the table indicating how visitors will be charged:
0 to 4 hours: AED 0
4 to 5 hours: AED 20
5 to 6 hours: AED 60
6 to 7 hours: AED 80
7 to 8 hours: AED 100
> 8 hours: AED 200
> 12 hours: AED 500
> 24 hours: AED 1,000
With the Mall geared to accommodate 13,000 visitor’s vehicles, this new move will be a source of tremendous revenue. Dubai Mall has partnered with Salik company in introducing this system which was first announced in December last year. Salik’s technology will ensure a smooth parking experience bereft of any barriers and including a camera-harnessed plate recognition system to automatically charge the parking fee. Salik authorities also confirm that the new feature will enhance parking availability. In so doing, Salik will live up to its reputation as a global leader in sustainable mobility solutions. But only time will really tell how the benefits for the Mall and its visitors will play out.
