Passengers of public buses en route to Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque will get a free ride from 5pm to 10pm during the Holy Month of Ramadan, announced the Department of Transport (DoT) on Tuesday.

Buses that ply on nine routes and stop at the Grand Mosque will allow all passengers to travel for free during the period coinciding with the time of breaking fast and tarawih (late-night prayer).

Buses on three free routes — 32, 44 and 54 — run on Abu Dhabi Island and those on the other six routes — 102, 115, 117, 202, 400 and 500 — come from outlying suburbs such as Mussafah. Buses are scheduled to pick up passengers every five to 10 minutes and the frequency will be increased should the need arise, said Saeed Mohammed Fadel Al Hameli, general manager of the DoT’s public bus office.

The DoT will also be offering a free “park and ride” service to the mosque from Zayed Sports City, which provides 2,500 parking spaces, whereby visitors can leave their vehicles and travel the remaining distance by the shuttle service. “The service will be available to minimise traffic congestion and limit the number of illegally parked vehicles in the area surrounding the mosque and on nearby roads,” said Al Hameli.
Parking facilities

In anticipation of an increased number of worshippers during Ramadan, the Grand Mosque’s parking has been expanded to accommodate 4,000 vehicles. “The Shaikh Zayed mosque has made good preparations in cooperation with the DoT to modify entrances and road signage to ease the traffic and make it less of a hassle for people to come to the mosque at any time,” Al Hameli added.

The mosque welcomes the swelling number of visitors during the month of fasting. Last year, the mosque served an average of 16,000 iftar meals everyday and began offering tarawih and tahajjud (before dawn prayer). This Ramadan, the Grand mosque will have the daily capacity to serve 18,000 meals, which will be prepared by the Armed Forces Officers Club, said Yousif Alobaidli, director of the Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre.
Three imams

Three acclaimed imams, including Mishari Rashid Al Afasi, have been invited to lead night prayers at the mosque this year and are expected to draw a large turnout, added Alobaidli. During the final ten days of Ramadan, the DoT will extend the timing of free bus routes from 10pm to 4am to accommodate late-night worshippers.