Dubai's skyline is undeniably impressive, yet for numerous office workers and residents, the challenge of maneuvering through towering structures is turning into a significant time drain. Elevator queues are growing longer, with individuals often losing 30 minutes merely waiting for a lift during rush hours. At the 25-story Grosvenor Business Tower in Barsha Heights, queues can stretch several meters during office hours. Numerous office workers, eager to reach their floors, join the line hoping to cram into the next available elevator, irrespective of its destination. "It's irrelevant whether the lift is ascending or descending; we just hop in," explained Rishabh, a financial consultant on one of the higher floors. "Our reasoning is straightforward: what ascends must descend, and the other way around."
Some office workers have adopted inventive tactics to circumvent the queues. "Occasionally, I climb a few flights of stairs and then catch the lift from there," disclosed a real estate broker. Filipina Tala S revealed her own strategy: "People employ various tricks. For instance, I descend to the basement parking two floors below to catch the lift, even though I don't own a car." Anna F, another employee, detailed the discomforts of the situation. "It becomes stuffy, sweaty, and odorous inside," she remarked. "By the time I arrive at my floor, I need to freshen up with deodorant in the restroom before heading to my desk. I wish people were more mindful of their personal hygiene because it can be quite off-putting."
Residential building dwellers, particularly housewives, encounter their own difficulties. Transporting heavy groceries while waiting for the lift can be arduous. "I meticulously plan my shopping trips," said an Indian mother in Al Barsha. "If the queues are excessively long, the weight of the groceries strains my arms, and by the time I reach my apartment, I'm utterly worn out." Many workers now factor in elevator wait times into their daily routines. "I have to depart earlier than normal to accommodate for lift delays," stated Ahmed, an office manager. "It's infuriating, but it's now part of my routine to prevent tardiness."
In the 38-story Escape Tower, a residential building in Business Bay, similar scenarios unfold in the evenings. Residents returning home endure lengthy waits to enter their building. "It takes me 15 minutes to travel from the office to home, but an additional 15 minutes to board the lift," shared a fitness instructor residing there. "Time is valuable these days, and wasting it this way is exasperating." Escape Tower, one of the few buildings in the area permitting bachelors, is favored by young men and women due to its proximity to the Metro station. "Standing outside in this heat, waiting for the lift, is suffocating," he added. "You're already drained from the day, and then you're left sweating before you can even reach your apartment."
Both Grosvenor Business Tower and Escape Tower employ security staff to oversee the crowds and uphold order. Nevertheless, the strain of extended waits occasionally leads to conflicts. At another Business Bay building, a scuffle broke out between two men inside a crowded elevator. "The lift was packed, and it refused to move. One of them had to exit, but neither agreed," an onlooker recounted. The disagreement escalated into a physical altercation before being halted. High-rise office buildings in older districts of Dubai, such as Deira and Bur Dubai, also face similar elevator congestion issues. Delivery riders, frequently under time constraints, find this particularly aggravating. Afzal, a Pakistani rider, detailed his frustrations: "I loathe delivering to certain buildings. You can lose 10-15 minutes just waiting for the lift. It's challenging when you're striving to meet delivery deadlines, and every moment is crucial."
