Commuters board a public bus in International City, Dubai. EXPAT MEDIA

As the sweltering summer heat continues, residents of Dubai’s International City made a renewed call for bus stop shelters in the popular neighbourhood. Commuters standing under the sun have become a common sight as International City’s population surged in recent years, leading to more people taking public buses. While the number of bus routes and frequency of public bus services have increased, bus stops across the massive community still lack shade to offer shelter from the scorching Dubai sun. “Public transport has certainly become accessible in International City, but I hope authorities or the management can also look into adding shaded bus stops here. I feel bad for the people waiting under the sun for the bus to arrive,” said Pia (full name withheld), a homeowner and resident since 2007. Abdullah, who lives in the Emirates cluster, echoed the same sentiment. “It is always a challenge to commute during the summer months because you have no choice but to wait in the open,” he said, adding that his flatmates also use the public bus regularly. Last year, helpful residents have offered free umbrellas for commuters to use in front of a mosque along the road in the France cluster. The initiative was a big hit, although short-lived because the umbrellas eventually ran out. “On a really hot day, I bring my own umbrella to wait at the bus stop,” Sofia (not her real name) told Expatmedia.net. She travels by public bus from the Morocco cluster to take her to the nearest Dubai Metro station so she can complete her commute to Downtown Dubai where she works. Currently, none of the bus stops in International City have shelters or a covered area for waiting commuters. Speaking to an RTA representative, Expatmedia.net was told that the construction of bus shelters in International City, International City Phase 2 and 3 as well as Warsan 4 falls under the jurisdiction of property developer Nakheel. A Nakheel representative told Expatmedia.net that residents will have to send an email to help@nakheelcommunities.com for a request on the matter. ICA/Expat Media
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