RTA signs agreement to maintain roads at Emaar Investment Properties

The Agreement was signed on behalf of the RTA by H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board the Executive Director of RTA, and on behalf of Emaar Property Co. by H.E. Ahmed Thani Al Matrooshi, Managing Director of Emaar Dubai.

The Agreement was signed in the presence of engineer Maitha bin Audai: CEO of Traffic & Roads Agency, Ahmed Bahroozian: Director of Strategy & Corporate Performance Dep't, engineer Nazim Faisal Ali Saeed: Acting Director of Roads Maintenance & Installations Dep't, engineer Nabeel Mohammed Salih: Director of Roads Dep't, engineer Hussain Al Banna, Director of Right of Way Services Dep't, and a number of RTA Directors. From Emaar, Agreement signing was attended by Fareed Diory: CEO of Development & Projects and Ahmed Al Falasi: CEO of Property Dep't.

According to the Agreement, RTA will manage & implement maintenance works of roads, road installations and various road-related elements within the right of way of property investments developed by Emaar such as Dubai Marina, The Greens, The Lakes, Emirates Hills, The Meadows, The Springs, & Arabian Ranches. Emaar will account for maintenance costs along with related administrative & supervisory charges. In the event of accidents, the party to blame will bear the repair costs as per the applicable rules.

The Agreement provides that ownership of open roads (outdoor roads) along with their installations & related elements within the right of way of Emaar property investments shall devolve upon the RTA after upgrading their operational & constructional level to match the standards & specifications approved by the RTA. Internal roads (indoor roads) shall remain in the ownership of Emaar.

The constructional & operational condition of constructed roads will be assessed by a joint committee made up from the two parties or their representatives, where the necessary requirements will be identified and matched to the specifications and standards approved by the RTA.

Elements of roads to be maintained include asphalt layers, pavements, pedestrian rail, steel posts, metal & concrete rails, road-boundary fences, road lighting network, and traffic systems which include lighting poles, control panels, electric supply systems, main cables, distribution cables, posts & systems of light signals, and traffic surveillance cameras.

Road elements include cautionary and directive traffic signs, directional boards and their related accessories such as poles, bases, protective rails, as well as lining & markings of roads, parking spaces, pedestrian crossings, and painting of pavement stones & steel posts. Such installations also include all related elements, accessories & systems such as bridges, tunnels, conduits of main utilities, box & tube-type conduits, and related electrical & mechanical systems.

Damage resulting from accidents & maintenance works will be reported through police channels, RTA Call Center, Emaar inspectors, and RTA emergency office, as well as engineers, supervisors & inspectors of Traffic & Roads Agency, or through regular programs of protective maintenance and reports communicated by road users. Various bodies of the RTA will report offences made within the right of way, attend to them according to the applicable procedures and make necessary repairs.

Maintenance works are divided into three types; the first one is preventative maintenance which is conducted according to a pre-defined program or on emergency basis to maintain the operational condition of roads and related elements. The second type is corrective maintenance which is carried out to rectify any damage inflicted on roads as a result of action from unknown bodies, construction defects, over usage, climatic elements ... etc., provided such works are considered essential to maintain safety. The third type is improvements and additional works asked by Emaar, or made in response to recommendations of Traffic Dep't to improve traffic safety at sites of potential risk.

H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board & Executive Director of RTA expressed his pleasure with the signing of this Agreement; which reflects the confidence pinned by Emaar Property Co. in the expertise & abilities of the RTA to carry out maintenance of roads, road installations and related elements in property investments owned by Emaar, and provide the best services to residents of its investment projects. He stated that RTA has expertise, potentials and competent human personnel that are good enough to perform the best services to investors and businesses.

He added that the agreement reflects the intention of the two parties to boost their mutual cooperation maintain roads and their various elements in the property investments of Emaar in a high & safe operational condition. It ensures that they are kept at the highest international standards in realization of the vision of the RTA to provide "safe & smooth transport for all". It also enables Emaar to utilize the expertise of the RTA in maintaining of roads, road installations and related elements. The Agreement also ensures prompt completion of emergent, preventative and corrective maintenance works of roads and related elements to be done under the standing road maintenance contracts of the RTA, which are implemented under direct supervision of RTA Traffic & Roads Agency engineers.

On another hand, H.E. Ahmed Thani Al Matrooshi, Managing Director of Emaar Property Co. (UAE) welcomed the cooperation between the two parties; which comes in culmination of the Partnership Agreement recently signed between them.

"RTA is the body which can take over maintaining infrastructure of road network in the investment properties of Emaar. This will ensure safety of road users as well as maintain road network in a good operational condition" said Al Matrooshi.