The new Salik toll gate on the Business Bay Bridge, which became operational at midnight on Sunday, has prompted commuters to reassess their daily travel expenses. Situated on the Business Bay Crossing, this toll gate is anticipated to affect various routes, including those connecting Sharjah, northern Dubai neighborhoods, and key business districts. Residents have expressed a range of reactions as they adapt to the new toll system.

Faisal Ahmed, a 35-year-old accountant residing in Garhoud and working in Business Bay, now faces a more costly daily commute. “Previously, there were no Salik gates between my home and office, and sometimes I only paid for one gate on certain routes. However, with the activation of the Business Bay Bridge gate, I must now pay an additional Dh8 each day. This amounts to over Dh200 more per month, which is a significant sum,” Ahmed explained. “I attempted to use internal roads to avoid Salik, but the traffic and delays make this option impractical. It seems I’ll have to adjust my budget to accommodate this new expense,” added Ahmed, whose commute typically takes about 15 minutes each way.

Aysha Nida, a resident of Al Twar who relies on taxis for her daily commute to Business Bay, noticed an increase in taxi fares. On Saturday, her fare was approximately Dh60, but on Sunday, when she needed to collect documents from her office, the fare rose to Dh65. “Normally, I pass through only one Salik gate at the Airport Tunnel, but today, I had to pass through two—the Airport Tunnel and the new Business Bay gate. The fare increase may seem minor, but for someone who travels by taxi daily, it quickly adds up. This is a substantial impact on my monthly expenses,” Nida remarked. “I’ll need to explore other ways to cut costs, but for now, I feel trapped,” she added.

Syed Saeed, a resident of Al Nahda in Sharjah, was caught off guard when he inadvertently passed through the new Salik gate at the Business Bay Bridge in the early hours of Sunday. “I typically use Google Maps for navigation and always choose routes without tolls. However, while traveling to meet friends in Al Jaddaf for a karak, I unknowingly passed through the Business Bay Bridge,” Saeed said. “I wasn’t aware that the Salik gate became operational at midnight on Sunday,” he added. “When I checked my Salik account in the morning, I discovered I had been charged for both the onward and return journeys. This is certainly going to increase the cost of my commute.”

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