| Dubai's traffic congestion continues to remain one of | | | | will have to be made out in its existing design. The |
| the most prime concerns for its planners and | | | | traditional form of boat design, called Abra, has been |
| administrators. A very significant number of freak | | | | followed in this region for years now. The new boat |
| collisions taking place, daily occurrences of traffic | | | | designs to be introduced will draw their outlook both |
| jams and an ill-educated mass of drivers making one's | | | | from Abra and modern techniques in equal terms. |
| life difficult on Dubai's roads, is how you could | | | | This deviation from Dubai's heritage will have to be |
| describe Dubai's traffic in few words. The | | | | made acceptable to the all concerned, so as to see |
| administration on its own part has done all it could to | | | | the planned bus service smoothly running. |
| check this existing malice out by building flyovers and | | | | Currently, there are several bridges and a solitary |
| underpasses, however the ever-growing population | | | | tunnel apart from Abra boats, which could be used to |
| forces the problem to continue on. Several measures | | | | cross Dubai Creek on any usual occasion. However, |
| are being introduced now to get the things on roads | | | | boats provide a very conducive atmosphere for |
| sorted out, among these being the proposed | | | | making out the journeys as compared to the other |
| introduction of additional water buses in the Dubai | | | | methods. Structurally, Abras are open-air wooden |
| Creek area from July later this year (2007). | | | | ferries that could carry up to 20 passengers sitting |
| The Creek is an inlet of the Arabian Gulf that runs | | | | across the length of boats on back-to-back benches. |
| across the center where Dubai has been populated | | | | This leads to discomfort in the summers however, as |
| upon. People would benefit from any water bus | | | | temperatures can reach up to 50C and humidity in |
| service across this watery passage, since the usual | | | | the range of 90-percent. The improvised fleet of |
| road journeys demand extra time and efforts both. | | | | water buses will now have a sitting capacity of 35 |
| The road traffic will also have a sigh of relief, since | | | | passengers, and they will be made fully |
| part of the daily commuting, however small in entity | | | | air-conditioned. |
| it may be, will get dispensed elsewhere. However, | | | | The latest boats will be pressed into a loop |
| there are two significant aspects to be taken care of | | | | water-bus service in the very first phase, with two |
| by the authorities and people both. One among these | | | | stops on either side of the Creek receiving and |
| being the kind of boats that will get introduced, as | | | | sending buses on every 10 minutes from 6am in the |
| the hot and humid weather of Gulf area can be truly | | | | morning to 12 at night. Gradually, these buses will be |
| scorching in summers. Secondly, the objective of | | | | extended up to New Dubai along the coastline, which |
| maintaining Dubai's cultural heritage has also to be | | | | includes Palm Islands and The World. This new |
| kept in mind while introducing any new kind of boats. | | | | introduction of water-bus service is part of the |
| Boats previously running across Dubai Creek lacked in | | | | extended public transport system for Dubai's |
| terms of advancement, but they did have an ethnic | | | | commuters, which aims at reducing the city's road |
| Arabian outlook to be proud of. The latest | | | | congestion. The planned Metro Railways will also be |
| announcement raises some concerns therefore, as | | | | playing a crucial role in achieving these objectives |
| the fresh boats to be inducted are going to have an | | | | apart from the existing Abras and the just mentioned |
| advanced capacity, and therefore some compromises | | | | water-bus service. |