Over 2,000 truck drivers stranded @ UAE/Saudi
Abu Dhabi: About 2,000 truck drivers have been stuck at the UAE-Saudi Arabia border at Al Guwaifat near Al Sila town due to alleged slow customs clearance by Saudi authorities, truck drivers told Gulf News late Saturday.
They said truckers have been suffering due to lack of adequate toilets inside the border check points since last Sunday.
Meanwhile Shaikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler's Representative in the Western Region and Chairman of the UAE Red Crescent Authority (RCA), instructed RCA officials to immediately send food and water to truck drivers stranded at the Al Ghuwaifat checkpoint on the UAE and Saudi border.
“The number of trucks in queue was more on Thursday. There was a 10 kilometre queue of trucks on the Al Sila-Al Guwaifat road when I reached here at 8 pm on Thursday”, said Saidu, an Indian truck driver who is still waiting in the parking area inside the border checkpoints
He said the queue on the road was reduced to the parking area inside the border by Saturday because a small number of trucks reached the border over weekends. “More trucks will be reaching the border by Sunday evening after getting the clearance from Dubai Chamber of Commerce after the weekend”, Saidu said.
Usually Saidu would spend a day at the border but this time it may take up to four days and he'll be lucky if he crosses the border by Monday evening.
Biju, another Indian truck driver said the problem began last Sunday. “We don’t know the exact reason. The procedure at the UAE border is as usual but it has been slow at the Saudi border for past week”, he said.
UAE-Saudi authorities were not available for comment.
I have travelled to Saudi by road so many times.... its always a headache to pass by Lazy/less-motivated Saudi custom authority workers...
“We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.”
Sir Winston Churchill
There must be more to this, but Well done Sheikh Hamdan...
i think its a red signal for them if Arabian Gulf is no more safer...!
...Life would become Dull if there were no such Difficulties...
...Life would become Dull if there were no such Difficulties...
A recent strike on a Saudi Coastal Boat by UAE Navy may be the reason. It looks like a deliberate move by the Saudi Authorities.
------------------------------------------------------ Whenever I find the Key to Success, Someone Steals it.
Poor Fellows are stuck yet again!!
ALLAH HU AKBAR - GOD IS GREAT