Dubai Mall paid parking: Re-entry after free hours explained

Stock-Salik — Which areas is it applicable in and how will motorists be charged? Image Credit: Bloomberg

Dubai: With the new paid parking system coming into effect in Dubai Mall from today, July 1, 2024, did you know that if you want to revisit the mall on the same day, if you return after two hours, you will be able to avail the free parking hours again?

Gulf News spoke with Ibrahim Al Haddad, CEO of Salik, which is operating the paid parking system at the mall, for further clarification on how the paid parking is calculated and how cars entering the parking areas will be tracked.

Get exclusive content with Gulf News WhatsApp channel

1. What happens if a person exits the parking lot before the free hours are over, and re-enters shortly after that?

“When any vehicle enters the paid parking zone, its number plate is captured by the cameras. The Salik system then processes this image to identify the number plate and its linked account, recording the entry time. Once the vehicle exits, its number plate is scanned again and the parking fee, calculated based on the elapsed time since entry, is deducted from the user’s Salik account,” Al Haddad said.

“Visitors re-entering the mall after an interval of two hours would be considered a new entry and would be eligible again for free hours. For those exiting and then entering within two hours of exit, it will be considered as continuation of the previous parking and would be charged accordingly as per the slabs defined by Dubai Mall,” he added.

Al Haddad also clarified other aspects of the paid parking system, including the areas where it will be applicable and how motorists will be charged.

Visitors re-entering the mall after an interval of two hours would be considered a new entry and would be eligible again for free hours. For those exiting and then entering within two hours of exit, it will be considered as continuation of the previous parking and would be charged accordingly as per the slabs defined by Dubai Mall.

- Ibrahim Al Haddad, CEO of Salik

Which parking areas of Dubai Mall will it be applicable in?

“Salik parking management system will be applicable across Fashion Parking, Grand Parking and Cinema Parking,” Al Haddad said.

How long will it take for the amount to be deducted from my Salik account?

“The amount will be automatically deducted from the visitor’s Salik account once the visitor exits the parking facility. Parking fees will be charged to the visitor based on the business rules defined by Dubai Mall,” he said.

If the motorist’s account is low on credit, will late recharge penalties be applied?

“To use Dubai mall parking facilities, the user needs to have an activated Salik account with sufficient balance. If the user has insufficient balance, the pending parking fees will be deducted once the user’s Salik account is topped up,” he said.