Salik (road toll)

Salik (In Arabic: سالك meaning "clear and moving") is the name given to the road toll system in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The system has been criticized by some residents of the city state for being an added expense for them. However, in general the system has been well received as a further way of attempting to reduce the serious congestion issues facing Dubai. The Salik toll system was implemented by Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on 1 July 2007.

Motorists are required to buy a 100 AED pre-paid card that is affixed to their windscreens. 4 AED ($1.08) will automatically be deducted from their account each time they pass through toll gate. Initially there were two toll gates, one near Al Garhoud Bridge, and one near Mall of the Emirates on Sheikh Zayed Road, but later in September 2008 two more gates were installed. The maximum charge per day per car using the tolled roads will be 24 AED ($6.48). Alternative routes include Business Bay Crossing, Floating Bridge (close to Al Maktoum Bridge; connects Al Ittihad Road (in Deira) with Al Riyadh Street (in Bur Dubai)), Al Khail Road, and Emirates Road.

Extension of Salik

On 9th September 2008, two more SALIK gates were started. One at Safa_Park and another at Al Maktoum Bridge. The Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai (RTA) explained how the new gates will work in conjunction with existing gates. Once a motorist passes through Al Barsha toll gate, he will be charged Dh4. But if he continues his journey, does not take a right or left turn or does not get stuck in traffic and passes though the Al Safa toll gate, he will not be charged. But if the motorist continues his journey and passes through the Al Maktoum toll gate, he will again be charged Dh4. Moreover, if the motorist, during the same journey, lastly passes through the Al Garhoud toll gate, he will again be charged Dh4. The Al Safa toll gate will be free of charge if the motorist is on one straight journey.

RTA also cleared that if a motorist passes through, for example, the Al Safa gate and then makes an exit from the Shaikh Zayed Road and again crosses another toll gate, he will have to pay Salik. But if he continues on the same trip and crosses Al Barsha toll gate, only Dh4 will be deducted.

The Al Maktoum Bridge toll gate will be free when the Floating Bridge is closed for traffic to ease the process for motorists.

Technology

The Salik Tags are the 'passive' type RFID tags. 'Passive' tags are powered by the transceiver in the toll gate and no battery is required for it. Radio frequency identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders.

An RFID tag is an object that can be applied to or incorporated into a product, animal, or person for the purpose of identification using radiowaves. Some tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the line of sight of the reader.

Advantages of the Salik System

The use of this technology enables the traffic to continue flowing through the toll gates as opposed to vehicles having to stop and pay a monetary toll as on more traditional toll gates. The fees are currently relatively low, when compared to other major cities such as London.

Criticism of Salik

Even though the tolls started on July 1, 2007, many commuters have criticised the RTA for implementing Salik, too soon, since alternative routes have become jammed. The initial hiccups of SMS alerts not being received by customers was traced to incorrect mobiles. Now the SMS alerts have become a critical component of the service and ensures that the customers receive their account information more accurately.

For some the largest area of concern of Salik is that the purchase of a Salik tag is tied to the car, instead of the owner. This means that a commuter from Abu Dhabi, or a neighbouring Gulf country who drives into Dubai will be required to purchase a sticker which they will have to stick on the windscreen for the life of the car. The traveller who might come into Dubai once a year or less, will have to keep the orange sticker on the windscreen permanently, just in case they decide to return to Dubai. However, it must also be stated that for most vehicles the Salik tag cannot be seen from within the vehicle as it is obscured by the rear view mirror.

There has been previous criticism of how the Salik charge will be applied to taxi fares, but the Dubai RTA has recently clarified this. All passengers will pay 4 AED irrespective of how many trips the taxi has made through the toll gates.

The Dubai RTA have yet to clarify where exactly should the Salik tag be stuck, if the motorcycle does not have a windshield.

When Salik was launched on July 1 2007, some of the advertised alternate routes were not yet completed. Floating Bridge opened to the public on July 16 2007, two weeks after Salik began.The Salik toll system has received mixed reviews. Those travelling on Al Garhoud Bridge seem happy that it is no longer congested, while others on Sheikh Zayed Road are dismayed especially since there are many exit points before and after the Al Barsha toll gates. This has led to an influx of traffic into neighbouring residential areas of the Springs, Greens and Al Barsha communities.

alik FAQs

How can motorists check their Salik credit?They can check online by visiting www.salik.ae or by calling 800-Salik (72545) and following the voice instructions. They will also receive SMSs about the status of their Salik balance. Are there any exceptional cases from Salik?Vehicles of the military, police, ambulances, school and college buses and public buses are exempted from Salik. Taxis are not exempted and passengers will bear the toll fees if they are willing to use the roads where the toll gates are located. Cab drivers must confirm the passengers' willingness before using the road. Companies with 10 or more cars can open 'Salik' private account. There will be no discounts as the price is unified and fixed. If a tourist is in Dubai just for a day, will he too have to buy the Salik tag?All visitors will have to buy Salik tags if they are driving their vehicles. When the tourist rents a car from a car rental agency, it will already have a tag. If he prefers to ride his own car, he has to buy a tag and it will be activated for several years. In case the windscreen is not damaged, he can keep the credit of the card even if he comes back to Dubai after several years. The RTA has installed signboards on the entrances of Dubai that show the locations of the toll gates and the free exits and points of sale. Does a motorist have a separate account for every Salik tag?Each account can have multiple tags, one for each vehicle. However,each account will have one account owner and one associated mobile number for communicating account information. Can I drive through the toll zone immediately after buying a tag?Yes. If your application is submitted and your tag is purchased and installed properly, the proper toll will be assessed and no violation will occur.

What should an account holder do if he is selling his vehicle?The motorist should call the Salik Customer Service Centre to deactivate the Salik tag so the account is not linked to a vehicle you no longer own. If he buys a new car, he should fill up an application form in which he must mention his Salik account number and the details of the new vehicle at any point of sale. If your Salik tag gets damaged or lost, the vehicle owner will have to pay for a new tag to replace it on the windscreen and in this case the subscriber can use the same account number. The owner of the vehicle is responsible for any toll violation, regardless of who is driving at the time the violation occurred.

alik checklist for the motorists

· The Salik card should be pasted 1cm below the front mirror of the car. · The price of the Salik card kit is Dh100. Dh50 will be deducted as an initial cost for the account and the other half will beconsidered as credit. · The motorists will be notified through SMS when their accounts need to be recharged. · They will receive the first SMS when the credit is Dh30, the second SMS comes when the credit is Dh20. The third SMS will alert the motorists that the credit is zero. · They will also receive an SMS in case they are fined. · The motorists can check their accounts through the toll system's dedicated website www.salik.ae or by calling 800-72545. · There will be two kinds of fines. The first one is for motorists who do not stick tags to the windscreen — Dh100 for thefirst day, Dh200 for the second day and Dh400 for the third day. Any additional fine will not exceed Dh 400 limit. · The second is for motorists who already have a tag but have run out of credit. They will be fined Dh50 for each entry. They can escape the fine if they recharge within two days and the Dh50 will be automatically transferred into the credit. In this case too, they will receive the SMSs. · Any tourist entering the UAE by car needs to have the Salik tag. If a tourist prefers to ride his own personal car and has to buy a tag, it will be activated for several years. In case the car window is not damaged, he can keep the credit of the car even if he comes back to Dubai after several years. · In the case of the sale of the car, the owner should remove the tag from the windscreen. People should call Salik customer service for deactivation. · The vehicle owner needs to pay up for a new tag if the existing tag is damaged or lost. · The owner of the vehicle is responsible for any toll violation regardless of who was driving the vehicle. · Salik tags are available in more than 300 locations at petrol stations (Enoc, Eppco, Adnoc and Emarat) and Dubai Islamic Bankand Emirates Bank branches and authorised outlets related to RTA.

External links

* [http://www.salik.ae/english/ www.salik.ae] - Official Website of the Salik scheme
* [http://www.dubaifaqs.com/salik.php Salik] - news summary and information
* [http://archive.gulfnews.com/indepth/salik/index.html Gulf News] - coverage of Salik toll
* [http://www.arabianbusiness.com/salik/ Salik - The Dubai Road Toll] — "ArabianBusiness.com"