If like me, you navigate your way around Dubai by the Burjs (Khalifa and Al Arab) then you’ll be just as excited to hear about a brand new system being devised by Dubai Municipality called Makani.
Makani number system aims to put every building in Dubai on the map.
This means no more frustrated taxi journeys trying to explain how to get to your home or office as well as trying to navigate your way around the ever-so frequent new roads and streets that seem to pop up every week.
The Roads and Transport Authority have undertaken previous projects to ensure that all streets in Dubai are named over the next five years and with Makani in progress, it will mean that every hotel, residential development, tower block, villa etc will be mapped. Each location will be given a unique 10 digit number so that every one of these can be located to within the square metre.
Have you noticed the posters being put up in the lobbies of your buildings? Most residential buildings will have now received their Makani numbers as the initiative has started to be rolled out across the Emirate.
So how does this fancy-sounding system work? and more importantly, does it actually work?
Makani is essentially an app that can be downloaded to your mobile phone or computer. Each structure is given their unique 10 digit code, unless it is an especially large building (take Dubai Mall or Mall of the Emirates for example) with multiple entrances, then it will be given a different coordinate for each entrance.
All you will have to do is download the app (of course) and enter your Makani number for your home or office and the location will become visible on the map on your device. All this sounds great if you know the Makani number but what about if you don’t know it? The good news is you also have the option to enter the address of the building and it will give you the Makani number.
Users can also share their location via social media, WhatsApp and email and this can be particularly useful for deliveries. It can even give you traffic updates.
It’s a great idea and there are obvious benefits, whether it becomes an integral part of our every day lives is still yet to be decided upon.
Try for yourself and download the app free at Appstore and GooglePlay
The Insider UAE 