Bush visit paralyses Dubai

GHOST TOWN: An Emirati woman walks in one of the empty Dubai streets shut off for the US president's visit. (Getty Images)

Dubai remained at a standstill throughout most of Monday as road closures due to the state visit of US president George W. Bush caused total gridlock on many of the city's roads that were not sealed off.

Sheikh Zayed Road, Sheikh Rashid Road, Sheikh Khalifa Road, Al Khail Road and many of the internal roads in Bur Dubai were all be shut to traffic, as was Al Garhoud Bridge, Al Maktoum Bridge and Shindagha Tunnel.

With so many of the city’s busiest roads shut, motorists were forced into confusing detours by arbitrary diversions causing hours of delays.

Drivers took any means necessary to make their way across the city, including abandoning vehicles and walking. There were even reports of motorists driving into oncoming traffic on the wrong side of the road.

Despite the chaos, a spokesman for Dubai Police told local media there were no major traffic problems in the city.

Authorities announced late on Sunday that many main roads, bridges and tunnel across the city would be closed on Monday for Bush's visit to the emirate, calling a last minute public holiday and telling residents to stay at home to limit the amount of traffic on the roads.

However, authorities gave no information has to which roads, bridges and tunnels would be shut until very late Sunday evening.

Bush touched down in Dubai from Abu Dhabi around lunchtime on Monday where he spent the day touring the city's sites. He then boarded a plane to Riyadh where we was greeted by Saudi's King Abdullah and other dignitaries upon arrival.

The UAE was the third stop on Bush's whirlwind visit to the GCC. The tour, which includes stops in Israel, Palestine, Bahrain, the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, ends on January 16.

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