Dubai to do more to up residents’ satisfaction
dubai — More cycling paths and road projects will be implemented to enhance the traffic flow and improve living standard in Dubai.
The second edition of Dubai Pulse Report showed the level of life satisfaction reached an average of 6.9, ranking the city fourth after New Zealand, Holland and Finland, and the government is directing its efforts to make the emirate more accessible to different modes of transport.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai was briefed on Dubai Pulse Report, an annual report to follow up the progress towards Dubai Plan 2021 and challenges lying ahead.
According to the report, the satisfaction level on infrastructure for pedestrians was 65 per cent, while 45 per cent of residents said they didn’t walk due to the absence of destinations they can reach on foot. The traffic flow satisfaction in Dubai decreased from 70 per cent in 2015 to 65 per cent in 2016.
Aisha Miran, assistant secretary-general at the Executive Council of Dubai, said the government
We are tapping into new markets, and adding new entertainment and family tourism projects.” Aisha Miran, assistant secretarygeneral, Executive Council of Dubai
will work on increasing access for pedestrians around the city with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) adding 900km of cycling paths in the next 10 years.
The report gathered data from government entities and international agencies to evaluate six different aspects of life including living standards, urban fabric, economy, role of government, individual and society.
Some sectors in Dubai saw strong growth, such as tourism that surged 9 per cent while manufacturing grew 3.9 per cent, and logistics rose 4.5 per cent.
To enhance the economy, Miran said through its Industrial Strategy, Dubai is tapping new sectors and enhancing growth in sub sectors such as aerospace, maritime and fabricated metals among other areas.
“Like any city in the world, we have been affected by global factors such as the region’s instability, Brexit and the appointment of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the US,” said Miran.
“What we are doing in Dubai is enhancing internal economy. In tourism, we are tapping into new markets, and adding new entertainment and family tourism projects.”
The report also showed that divorce rates among Emirati families decreased from 47.5 per cent in 2015 to 34 per cent in 2016.
In terms of government services, surveys indicated that 93 per cent of people have confidence in Dubai Police services, and 83 per cent indicated that they have confidence in the judicial system.
Dubai was earlier ranked the top Middle Eastern city for expatriate living, and the 75th in global rankings, according to Mercer’s 2016 Quality of Living Survey. But the target is to become 50th in the global rankings.