Latest news with #mosques
Zawya
21 hours ago
- Automotive
- Zawya
IACAD and Parkin sign first-of-its-kind partnership
The Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department ('IACAD'), a government agency responsible for overseeing Islamic affairs, mosques and charitable activities has entered a strategic partnership with Parkin Company PJSC ('Parkin' or the 'Company'), the largest provider of paid public parking facilities and services in Dubai. Key Takeaways Under phase one of the revenue sharing agreement, Parkin will operate and manage c.2.1k parking spaces across 59 sites in Dubai, on behalf of IACAD Parking will be provided free of charge to worshippers for a period of one hour during prayer times This partnership will contribute to expanding Parkin's total private parking portfolio to c.20.8k spaces Operational rollout is targeted to commence in August 2025 This landmark collaboration, the first of its kind between the Company and IACAD, will enhance access to mosques by ensuring fair and efficient use of mosque parking facilities for all visitors, especially during prayer time. The partnership aims to ease the challenge of finding parking during prayer, improve access to mosques at all times, and enhance the overall religious experience for worshippers across Dubai. In the future, there is potential to scale up this initiative to cover additional mosques that are part of IACAD's portfolio. These parking spaces will be designated as Zone M (standard) or Zone MP (premium) and, outside prayer hours, will be chargeable 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During prayer time, mosque visitors will be able to park free of charge for up to one hour. Of the 59 sites, 41 will be located in zone M and 18 will in zone MP. H.E. Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi, Director General of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai, affirmed that the partnership marks a significant step in enhancing cooperation between the government and semi-government sectors. It ushers in a new phase of mosque service improvements, enhancing the worshipper experience and elevating the quality of religious life across the emirate. Al Muhairi stated: 'The signing of this agreement reflects our strong commitment to providing a comprehensive parking service around mosques, one that enhances the experience of worshippers during and beyond prayer times, while also supporting Dubai government's vision of delivering smart, proactive mobility services that cater to the needs of all segments of society.' Eng. Mohamed Abdulla Al Ali, CEO of Parkin, commented: 'This pioneering initiative between Parkin and IACAD prioritises community needs by enabling wider accessible parking while reducing misuse by non-visitors. We are targeting to introduce this measure during August and look forward to how this collaboration will enhance the worshipper experience, streamlining parking efficiency around mosques.' Mr. Mohammed Musbeh Dhahi, Executive Director of the Charitable Work Sector at the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai, concluded by stating that this collaboration is a significant addition that supports the Department's efforts to enhance the enforcement and supervision system of mosques by improving access efficiency to their facilities, monitoring maintenance activities, and ensuring the readiness of their surrounding environment. About Parkin Company PJSC With a unique blend of operational excellence, technological know-how and enforcement capability spanning almost three decades, Parkin Company PJSC is the largest provider of paid public parking facilities and services in the Emirate of Dubai, with a portfolio of approximately 209k paid parking spaces, as at Q1 2025. Parkin has a dominant position in relation to Dubai's on and off-street paid public parking market and a leading share of the overall paid parking market. Under a 49-year Concession Agreement with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Parkin has the exclusive right to operate a portfolio of public on and off-street parking (c.187k spaces) as well as public multi-storey car parking facilities (c.3k spaces). Parkin also operates certain developer-owned parking facilities through partnership agreements across the Emirate (c.19k spaces) and provides barrierless, ticketless on behalf of Majid Al Futtaim across two malls. Additional revenue streams include enforcement, the issuance of seasonal permits, parking reservations and other commercial activities. By deploying state of the art digital payment solutions and intelligent parking management systems that utilise artificial intelligence and big data analysis, Parkin's customers successfully conducted 36m parking transactions in Q1 2025. Dubai's parking operations were established in 1995 under the Dubai Municipality, before becoming part of the RTA in 2005. In December 2023, Parkin Company PJSC was established through the issuance of Law No. 30 of 2023, successfully completing its initial public offering (IPO) on the Dubai Financial Market in March 2024. Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department Established under Law No. (2) of 2011, the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) is the official government entity responsible for overseeing Islamic affairs and charitable initiatives in the Emirate of Dubai. The mission of the IACAD is to promote Islamic knowledge and values, building a sustainable community service that promotes Islamic religious and cultural values and humanitarian awareness. The department supervises religious recordings, printing and the distribution of the curricula as well as preparation, approval and printing of the Hijri calendar. The department is also responsible for issuing licenses for charitable societies, Islamic institutions and centers for memorising of the Holy Quran. Furthermore, the department issues licenses for Islamic research and study centres and supervises them administratively and financially, while also supervising and licensing private mosques, Islamic celebrations, seminars, conferences, exhibitions and religious competitions to highlight the advantage of Islamic religion. In Dubai, IACAD also organises Hajj and Umrah affairs in coordination with the concerned authorities in the UAE, as well as Fatwa, Zakat obligations, donations and charitable contributions.
Arabian Business
a day ago
- Automotive
- Arabian Business
Parkin to provide organised smart parking around Dubai mosques
Parkin Company, provider of paid public parking services in Dubai, will manage smart parking services around mosques in the emirate after signing a partnership with the Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department (IACAD), the government agency responsible for overseeing Islamic affairs, mosques, and charitable activities. These parking spaces will be designated as Zone M (standard) or Zone MP (premium). During prayer time, mosque visitors will be able to park free of charge for up to one hour. Outside prayer hours, these spaces will be chargeable 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Dubai mosques get smart parking solutions Under the first phase of the revenue sharing agreement, Parkin will operate and manage 2,100 parking spaces across 59 sites on behalf of IACAD. It will expand Parkin's total private parking portfolio to approximately 20,800 spaces. Of the 59 sites, 41 will be located in Zone M and 18 in Zone MP. Operational rollout is set to commence before the end of August 2025. The applicable peak and non-peak tariff for Zone M will be AED 2 for half an hour and AED 4 for one hour. The peak tariff in Zone MP will be AED 3 for half an hour and AED 6 for an hour. The collaboration between Parkin and IACAD will enhance access to mosques by ensuring fair and efficient use of mosque parking facilities for all visitors, especially during prayer time, and enhancing the overall religious experience for worshippers across Dubai. Mohamed Abdulla Al Ali, CEO of Parkin, commented: 'This pioneering initiative between Parkin and IACAD prioritises community needs by enabling wider accessible parking while reducing misuse by non-visitors. We are targeting to introduce this measure during August and look forward to how this enhances the worshipper experience, streamlining parking efficiency around mosques.' Based on the agreed commercial terms, this contract is expected to generate a modest profit that is not material in the context of Parkin's overall financial performance. Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi, Director General of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai, said the partnership ushers in a new phase of mosque service improvements. 'The signing of this agreement reflects our strong commitment to providing a comprehensive parking service around mosques, one that enhances the experience of worshippers during and beyond prayer times, while also supporting the Dubai government's vision of delivering smart, proactive mobility services that cater to the needs of all segments of society,' Al Muhairi added.
The National
a day ago
- Automotive
- The National
Paid parking at Dubai mosques from August except for prayer time
Parking will be no longer be free near Dubai's mosques, starting in August. Parkin, the emirate's public parking operator, will manage about 2,100 parking spaces across 59 sites at Dubai's mosques, it was announced on Thursday. One hour of parking during prayer time will be free of charge, Dubai Media Office reported. 'Operational rollout is targeted to commence in August 2025,' the media office said on X. In April, Parkin's variable fees came into effect across Dubai. Peak pricing applies for six of the 14 chargeable hours each day, from 8am to 10am and from 4pm to 8pm. Unlike the new zone, Sundays and public holidays are often exempt from charges. Tariffs during the off-peak hours of 10am to 4pm and from 8pm to 10pm remain unchanged. Parking will continue to be free from 10pm to 8am. Public parking in Dubai is mostly divided into four zones: A, B, C and D. What is Parkin? The company, set up in January 2024 to manage the emirate's parking infrastructure, has asked drivers to check updated zone codes when parking or to refer to the Parkin website and app. Parkin manages more than 200,000 paid parking spaces across Dubai, including public parking and multistorey car parks, as well as some privately owned spaces under long-term contracts. The company's other revenue streams include enforcement and issuance of seasonal permits and parking reservations. Its revenue jumped by nearly a third in February because of an increase in the number of fines issued in the final three months of 2024.
UAE Moments
a day ago
- Automotive
- UAE Moments
Dubai to Launch 24/7 Paid Parking Around Mosques This August
Starting this August, Parkin will roll out 24-hour paid parking zones around 59 mosques across Dubai. But don't worry— it's still free for an hour during prayer time. New Zones, New Rates The parking spaces will fall under two categories: Zone M (Standard): Dh2 for 30 mins, Dh4 for an hour Zone MP (Premium): Off-peak: Dh2 for 30 mins, Dh4 for an hour Peak: Dh3 for 30 mins, Dh6 for an hour There will be 2,100 new paid parking spots in total— 41 sites under Zone M, and 18 sites under Zone MP. Worshippers Get a Break If you're heading to the mosque to pray, you can park free for up to one hour during prayer times. Outside those times, regular charges apply all day, every day. Why It's Happening The move is part of a new deal between Parkin and Dubai's Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) to better manage parking near mosques and reduce misuse by non-visitors hogging the spots.
Emirates 24/7
a day ago
- Automotive
- Emirates 24/7
IACAD and Parkin Sign First-of-its-Kind Partnership to Organise Smart Parking Around Mosques and Enhance Worshippers' Experience
The Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department ('IACAD'), a government agency responsible for overseeing Islamic affairs, mosques and charitable activities has entered a strategic partnership with Parkin Company PJSC ('Parkin' or the 'Company'), the largest provider of paid public parking facilities and services in Dubai. Key Takeaways • Under phase one of the revenue sharing agreement, Parkin will operate and manage c.2.1k parking spaces across 59 sites in Dubai, on behalf of IACAD • Parking will be provided free of charge to worshippers for a period of one hour during prayer times • This partnership will contribute to expanding Parkin's total private parking portfolio to c.20.8k spaces • Operational rollout is targeted to commence in August 2025 This landmark collaboration, the first of its kind between the Company and IACAD, will enhance access to mosques by ensuring fair and efficient use of mosque parking facilities for all visitors, especially during prayer time. The partnership aims to ease the challenge of finding parking during prayer, improve access to mosques at all times, and enhance the overall religious experience for worshippers across Dubai. In the future, there is potential to scale up this initiative to cover additional mosques that are part of IACAD's portfolio. These parking spaces will be designated as Zone M (standard) or Zone MP (premium) and, outside prayer hours, will be chargeable 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During prayer time, mosque visitors will be able to park free of charge for up to one hour. Of the 59 sites, 41 will be located in zone M and 18 will in zone MP. H.E. Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi, Director General of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai, affirmed that the partnership marks a significant step in enhancing cooperation between the government and semi-government sectors. It ushers in a new phase of mosque service improvements, enhancing the worshipper experience and elevating the quality of religious life across the emirate. Al Muhairi stated: 'The signing of this agreement reflects our strong commitment to providing a comprehensive parking service around mosques, one that enhances the experience of worshippers during and beyond prayer times, while also supporting Dubai government's vision of delivering smart, proactive mobility services that cater to the needs of all segments of society.' Eng. Mohamed Abdulla Al Ali, CEO of Parkin, commented: 'This pioneering initiative between Parkin and IACAD prioritises community needs by enabling wider accessible parking while reducing misuse by non-visitors. We are targeting to introduce this measure during August and look forward to how this collaboration will enhance the worshipper experience, streamlining parking efficiency around mosques.' Mr. Mohammed Musbeh Dhahi, Executive Director of the Charitable Work Sector at the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai, concluded by stating that this collaboration is a significant addition that supports the Department's efforts to enhance the enforcement and supervision system of mosques by improving access efficiency to their facilities, monitoring maintenance activities, and ensuring the readiness of their surrounding environment.
