Even though a majority of people have welcomed the paid parking system introduced here from Saturday, some motorists have expressed their discontent and voiced their concern over the efficacy of the new rules. The new system, authorities hope, will dramatically improve the irregular and often chaotic street parking in the city. According to the new rules, drivers who need to park their vehicles within the paid parking zones must purchase tickets from Pay and Display machines located on the sidewalks within each zone. Drivers will have to park their vehicles in the clearly marked spaces for parking or else their vehicles will be towed and will only be retrieved after a fine of SR50 and towing charges of SR100 have been paid. “This is a very good system and will certainly do away with the traffic havoc here. Double parking, cross parking and everything was present here and it was quite difficult to get a decent parking place especially during peak hours. Now it is very smooth and I find it easy to park my vehicle without any fear,” said Abdul Kareem, a Saudi national who often visits the Seiko Building area, the busiest street in Dammam city. Suresh Kumar, an Indian national, said he was able to park his car near his office building, something he had rarely done during the last seven years. “It is only because of the new paid parking system. I only have to take a ticket from the machine which is a great achievement in Dammam,” he said. However, Ali Hussain, a Yemeni national staying on Mustashfa Street, complains that due to the paid parking system, he will lose his regular parking place. Mashood, a Sudanese national, said that the paid parking system will force him to move to the city's interior because he will have to pay for parking his car near his house. Hafiz Azzubair, the Eastern Province manager of the National Parking Company, told Saudi Gazette that people have been very cooperative. Our publicity has created an awareness of this new system. “Now people find it comfortable to drive inside the city because they can park their cars safely,” he said. Currently 130 parking meters have been installed on the streets of Dammam and 25 enforcement officers have been employed to monitor the parking of vehicles.
