Photo for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

The Road and Transport Authority (RTA) Dubai has declared free public parking throughout the emirate for January 1, with charges returning on Monday (January 2). Residents will, however, have to pay for multi-story parking. According to the transport authority, the red and green lines of the Dubai Metro will begin operating at 5am on Saturday (December 31). They will continue to run continuously until 12am on Monday (January 2) for a total of 43 hours. The tram will run from 6am on Saturday (December 31) to 1am on Monday (January 2) to simplify public access to the event area and the exit procedure after the shows have concluded. All RTA customer Happiness Centres will be closed on Sunday (January 1) and reopen on Monday (January 2). Authorities will use up to 10,000 smart cameras to monitor traffic during one of the city's largest yearly events. RTA also issued road closures and public transportation schedules to help ease traffic and guide the public to main celebration venues during the emirates' New Year's Eve celebrations. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard will be closed at 4pm upon reaching capacity in the parking area. The Lower Deck of the Financial Centre Road will be closed at 4pm, and Al Sukook Street will be closed at 8pm. A closure of Al Asayel Road, extending from Oud Metha Road and leading to Burj Khalifa district, is scheduled at 4pm for the exclusive use of public buses and emergency vehicles. Al Mustaqbal Street will gradually shut down during the event between 2nd Za'abeel Road and Al Meydan Road starting at 4pm. BKM/ Expat Media
For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube page