Khalifa issues Law setting up Department for Municipal Affairs and Transport in Abu Dhabi

 President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, has issued a law on the establishment of the Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport to replace the current Municipal Affairs and Transport Departments.

The law states the establishment of the department named 'the Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport' to replace the Department of Municipal Affairs and the Department of Transport. The assets and rights of these two departments will be transferred to the newly created department.

The new department will exercise its competence in the municipal affairs to prepare the general policy of the emirate to provide better services and decent living conditions for all its inhabitants. These policies will be submitted to the Executive Council.

It will also propose projects related to the municipal affairs that conform to the general policies of the government. The department will suggest an operational framework system of tagging and geographical names, naming of the streets in the emirate and classification of contractors and consulting engineering offices, engineers and other disciplines in this area.

The law also provides jurisdiction for the department in the field of civil aviation, land and maritime transport. It has to prepare the general policy in the civil aviation, land and maritime transport sectors, and submit it to the Executive Council. The department suggests road designs and related legislation, regulates and controls civil aviation, land and maritime transport sectors in the emirate, and supervises and implements its own legislation. It grants necessary permits to air operators to conduct flights to and from airports of the emirate.

The department also organises and manages the waterways and inland waters in the emirate, sets necessary controls for the issuance of individual and commercial licences for marine transport modes, and terms and conditions of granting their driving licences, as well as technical specifications and others in this respect.

The law states that the Abu Dhabi Municipality, Al Ain Municipality and Western Region Municipality and any other future municipality will report to the new department, which will supervise and control them.

It prohibits any business or construction projects or engagement in any activity related to the department without a permit. The department requires that an authorised person must abide by the granted limits of authorisation. It also prohibits use of any means of transport unless registered by the concerned authorities.