Al Ghuwaifat: A fingerprinting exercise by the Saudi authorities has created a 24km queue of trucks on the border, with some moving a mere 2km in 16 hours in the scorching heat of June.
Video: Trucks stranded at border
Video: UAE truckers speak of frustrations
This has been the situation for almost a month. Truck drivers transporting goods from the UAE to neighbouring countries are facing huge delays on the Al Ghuwaifat border to enter Saudi Arabia.
Drivers say the situation is unbearable. They have no access to food or water and there are no restrooms along the way.
"Saudi authorities are now fingerprinting drivers. We were not fingerprinted earlier," said Irfan, an Indian driver. He said there are about 1,000 trucks waiting to cross.
While truck drivers said the delays are because they are being fingerprinted, this could not be independently confirmed with UAE or Saudi authorities.
"The nearest cafeteria is 5km away. We can't take our trucks there. It is too hot to walk," Irfan said.
Major Salem Saeed Bin Tassah Al Ameri, Head of Al Ghuwaifat checkpoint police section, told Gulf News one of the causes for the long queue is because some trucks that carry used cars to other countries through Saudi Arabia carry a higher load than stated on documents.
Saudi authorities ask them to either go back and fix the document or unload some vehicles.
Saudi authorities on Wednesday said drivers crossing from the UAE violate laws.
Saudi security sources attributed the slow procedures at Al Bat'ha border to security reasons involving the fight against drug trafficking.
With inputs from Abdul Rahman Shaheen, Correspondent
What do you think of this issue? How will this affect the economy? Do you know anyone who has experienced a similiar issue?
Your comments
Thanks for Gulf News, as you are brought the news as Headline.
It is also affecting the transporting companies and manufacturing companies. The main points are
1) The trucks getting triple folds of normal transit time to deliver the cargo at final destination. So, the transporting charges increased around 30% to 50%, which was come down when the fuel price fallen down.
2) Supplier Complains non placements of the truck at schedule time (because of the shortage of trucks)
3) Customer complains late and damage delivery (if the truck loaded)
If it is continuing like, the economy will be affected, which the global crisis getting solved.
Therefore, the authority should arrange a latest technology at the check point and the drivers should consider as human being.
Abdul Jaleel M. V.
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 11, 2009, 11:57
Saudi has a right to protect its security but waiting and staying in hot weather for long hours with no food and absent of other basic facilites which anyone needs it is not accepatable.Please think on the interest of other side
Yousuf
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 11, 2009, 11:32
i had even faced this problem during umrah visit. please put professional people to save time and money
Mohammad Mousa Warsi
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 11, 2009, 11:09
What I don't understand is why the KSA authorities are penalizing the drivers for difference in load. That's the responsibility of the company. The driver is only responsible for transport from A to Z.
Maliha Aqeel
Sharjah,UAE
Posted: June 11, 2009, 10:31
I used to work for a cargo company and we sent loads of trucks to GCC. From my experience, KSA has always been a problem. my heart goes to the poor drivers who are victims.
Wosim
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 11, 2009, 10:31
All of us should understood. This trucks and drivers are the vital part of our society. Most of the time we forget that they are the people helping us to move our life ahead by carrying all the goods required from acorss the borders. The authorities should take concrete and constructive steps to ease these truck drivers life. I believe it is very easy for authority to make system for purpose.
Yaseen Hassan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 11, 2009, 09:53
it will effect the ecconomy a lot in many sense. firstly the world is suffering from Recession and at this stage this things are happeneing.the goods should reach to customer on time if it delays then its definetly goin to effect the economy..taking fingerprint and all doesn't make sense to me. if they find anyone violating law then impose the penalty on them thats it.
Rihaan
Mumbai,India
Posted: June 11, 2009, 09:52
This is will effect the country
economy. there are latest tech
now.
Noora
Riyadh,KSA
Posted: June 11, 2009, 09:51
