标签： Asia

The international business community is mourning the sudden passing of prominent Dubai-based entrepreneur Dr. CJ Roy, who died unexpectedly on January 30th during an ongoing income tax inspection at his corporate offices in Bangalore. His funeral arrangements have been scheduled for February 1st in the Indian city where he tragically passed.

Final ceremonies will commence with a condolence visitation from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Nature’s Luxuri Mega Resort and Convention Centre, where associates and family members may pay their final respects. Following the visitation, the procession will continue to St. Joseph’s Syro-Malabar Church for a funeral mass at 2:00 PM, after which Dr. Roy will be laid to rest.

In an official family statement, the deceased businessman was memorialized as both a “visionary individual whose life exemplified excellence, purpose, and compassion” and a “genuine philanthropist.” The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation by Indian authorities, who are meticulously reviewing his final moments amid the tax raid proceedings.

According to witness accounts provided to Indian media outlets, Dr. Roy had requested privacy to speak with his mother shortly before his passing. TA Joseph, Managing Director of Confident Group, reported that when staff members received no response after repeated attempts to contact him, they forcibly entered his office and discovered him unresponsive in his chair with visible bloodstains. Despite immediate transportation to a medical facility, resuscitation efforts proved unsuccessful.

His wife and children, who were in Dubai at the time of the incident, urgently traveled to Bangalore and arrived on Saturday morning. The news has sent shockwaves through business circles in both India and the UAE, where Dr. Roy maintained significant commercial interests and personal relationships.

Indian media personality Mithun Ramesh, who considered Dr. Roy both mentor and family, expressed profound grief over the loss. “He influenced many major decisions in my life,” Ramesh told Khaleej Times. “I was among the very few people who could visit his home without prior appointment. His absence creates an irreplaceable void.” Ramesh immediately departed from Muscat upon learning the news to attend the funeral services, highlighting the deep personal connections Dr. Roy fostered across international boundaries.

Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates has announced significant enhancements to its parking benefits, offering extended complimentary parking for visitors to its premier attractions. Parkin, the city’s leading parking facility operator, confirmed that guests visiting Ski Dubai can now obtain up to six hours of free parking by validating their attraction payment at the mall’s customer service desk.

The new policy provides Ski Dubai visitors with two additional hours of complimentary parking beyond the standard four-hour free period, effectively creating a six-hour parking benefit. Similarly, VOX Cinemas patrons can claim an extra two hours of free parking by validating their movie ticket purchases.

For retail shoppers, the mall maintains its existing policy offering all-day free parking for customers spending Dh150 or more, subject to purchase validation. Weekend visitors continue to enjoy completely free parking on Saturdays and Sundays, though overnight parking remains prohibited with a Dh200 daily penalty for violations.

The updated parking fee structure at Mall of the Emirates operates on a graduated scale: complimentary for 0-4 hours, Dh20 for 4-5 hours, Dh40 for 5-6 hours, Dh60 for 6-7 hours, Dh100 for 7-8 hours, and Dh150 for exceeding eight hours.

These parking enhancements form part of the mall’s comprehensive parking management strategy, which transitioned to a barrierless paid parking system in February 2025 following a five-year agreement between Majid Al Futtaim and Parkin PJSC. The innovative technology eliminates traditional entry and exit barriers, significantly improving traffic flow and visitor experience at one of Dubai’s most popular shopping and entertainment destinations.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has implemented a comprehensive traffic management plan to facilitate the smooth execution of the Dubai Marathon scheduled for February 1, 2026. The strategic road closures, announced on January 31st, are designed to ensure runner safety and optimal event organization while minimizing disruption to city mobility.

Beginning at 1:00 AM on race day, Abdullah Omran Taryam Street will experience complete closure between Umm Suqeim Street and Al Thowima Street. Subsequent partial closures will commence at 4:45 AM along key arteries including Jumeirah Street and King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street, specifically affecting segments between Al Mehemal Street intersection and Dubai Internet City intersection.

The transportation authority has developed a phased reopening strategy, with one lane on both Jumeirah Street and King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street scheduled to resume operations by 8:00 AM to alleviate traffic congestion. Motorists are strongly advised to conduct advanced journey planning and adhere to directional signage installations throughout affected areas.

RTA officials have disseminated detailed route maps through official channels to keep residents informed about temporary accessibility modifications. The coordinated effort represents Dubai’s ongoing commitment to hosting world-class sporting events while maintaining its reputation for operational excellence in urban transportation management.