DUBAI // Drunk labourers trying to take short cuts across dangerous roads is a growing problem in Dubai.
The latest Al Qusais Police Station statistics show that 15 people died in its jurisdiction in the first four months of this year, mainly in run-over incidents, a figure that surpasses the total deaths in the area last year.
Station director Brig Ahmed Al Mehairi said that most of the deaths occurred on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and in Al Muhaisnah 2 and Al Qusais, areas where many labourers live.
Of those killed, eight died in run-over incidents. Last year there were 14 deaths, six of them run over.
Labourers in Al Muhaisnah 2 said many of their colleagues drank in their free time.
Indian Bhunhar Laal, who has been living in the UAE for more than 15 years, said that his cousin was killed in 2008 trying to cross the street while intoxicated.
“I would say that 80 per cent of labourers here drink. They buy a small bottle of alcohol for Dh15 to Dh20,” said the 40-year-old. “Their bodies are already weak from working in the heat, so they cannot handle the alcohol and make stupid decisions.”
Mr Laal said there were enough pedestrian crossings and most labourers were aware of the dangers of jaywalking but, while drunk, their inhibitions were reduced because they were “just looking for a short cut”. “We hear stories of people getting injured or killed while crossing the street and drunk almost every week.”
Fellow Indian Kirpal Singh, 50, said such incidents were frequent. He agreed that about 80 per cent of labourers drank.
“They get drunk and then they have no idea where to cross the road,” he said, and that drinking was the only “form of entertainment” for some.
Mohammed Omran said that working in the heat played a big role in the incidents.
“Their bodies are already exhausted, and then they drink, and they cross the road from just anywhere,” said the 35-year-old Pakistani.
Darbhanga Singh said he had never witnessed an accident but had heard of many.
“I know that a lot of people drink, and that it is a problem,” said the 30-year-old Indian, a crane operator in the UAE for almost 10 years.
Lt Ahmed Al Shaer of the Al Qusais Police Station’s traffic department said that run-over incidents were the leading cause of deaths and in most cases the victims were intoxicated.
“The places where most incidents take place are close to labourers’ residences,” he said. “In the first five months of this year [we] recorded 2,925 cases of jaywalking, most of whom were Asians.”
Mohammed Aslam, 27, said he witnessed “the bloodiest” run-over incident three years ago.
“A young man, who was obviously very drunk, was trying to cross the road near the Sonapur camp [in Al Muhaisnah]. Car drivers kept telling him to get out of the way, but he would, in turn, tell them to move until he was eventually run over.”
He said another problem was that many young labourers had never left their villages before moving to Dubai, so they had no sense of awareness or responsibility.
“There is no one to guide them, no one to help them adapt to this new, big city, and they should learn responsibility.”
Lt Al Shaer said Dubai Police were continually involved in road-safety campaigns targeting labourers.
He said officers often visited labour camps and delivered lectures and literature, which comes in several languages.
dmoukhallati@thenational.ae
akhaishgi@thenational.ae
