Oman traffic: New parking meters to be activated soon in Muscat

Muscat: Drivers in Muscat will soon be able to pay for car parking through new meters, which have been installed in the capital since last year, an official at the Muscat Municipality revealed.
Justifying the delay in activating the parking meters, Said Al Rawahi, director assistant of Income at Muscat Municipality said, “The municipality had to wait until the new fee and fines are cleared by the municipality so meters won’t be required to go through the programming process again.”
“The meters are already installed in some areas in Muscat and will be activated soon,” he added.
Al Rawahi explained that the meters were installed some time ago. However, the municipality was waiting for the local order, which imposed new fees and fines on metered public parking to be issued and then activate the new meters.
“The municipality will have to employ a number of meter supervisors to control the areas where new meters have been installed,” said Al Rawahi.
New facilities
He added that the new meters will have new facilities, allowing motorists to pay their fees using banknotes and prepaid cards that will be issued by the Muscat Municipality.
The new meters have been installed in Ghubra, Al Khuwair, Al Khoudh and A’Seeb, according to Al Rawahi.
The municipality had recently issued a new order to impose harsher fines on drivers who occupy two parking lots to park one vehicle.
According to law, such violators will be fined OMR10 while those occupying a parking lot reserved for disabled motorists will have to pay OMR20.
Some of the fines reach up to OMR500.
“Those leaving their car in a parking lot reserved for ambulance parking will have to pay OMR100 and those who leave their vehicles for sale or for advertising purposes in public parking areas and sidewalks will also be slapped with a fine of OMR500,” the order stated.
However, the order excludes ambulances, police patrols, civil defence vehicles, municipality vehicles and government vehicles approved by the municipality.
The order was issued by Mohsen bin Mohammed bin Ali Al Shaikh, chairman of the Muscat Municipality, and also said motorists will have to pay 200 baisas as parking fee for every hour and those interested in booking the parking lot for the whole month will have to pay OMR50, while an OMR15 fee will be charged for a private parking permit.