UAE to spend $4.4b on infrastructure

UAE to spend $4.4b on infrastructure
Last Updated : Sunday 23 Mar, 2008 -
print this article email this article next story post your commentsUAE president Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan has allocated $4.4 billion for infrastructure projects in parts of the country, WAM said yesterday. The funds will go towards setting up new towns and intercity highways as well as stormwater and sewage systems in the northern emirates, WAM said without identifying which emirates will benefit from the projects.

Abu Dhabi and Dubai are both spending billions of dollars on their infrastructure. But northern emirates, including Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Qaiwain, are growing at a much slower pace.
In a recent opinion survey conducted by DSL Exhibitions to gauge consumer concerns and satisfaction levels in the wake of the UAE property boom, researchers found several startling results that clearly demonstrated residents’ rising confidence in infrastructure development.
“We believe that the UAE is at an important turning point in its journey of development,” said Tessa Morris, marketing director of DSL Exhibitions - organisers of The Local Property Show. Most respondents felt that infrastructure development across the UAE had improved the property landscape
in terms of accessibility and facilities.
However, huge concerns remained over traffic congestions and inter-emirate travel, as 86 per cent felt traffic had either worsened or remained the same, while a whopping 63 per cent felt that travel across the various parts of the UAE had worsened. These were areas respondents felt policy makers should focus on urgently.