Free Air Tickets, Bollywood Show: How Dubai Workers Rested, Felt 'Respected' On NYE

For many workers in Dubai, New Year's Eve usually means work - busy roads, long hours and little time to stop and celebrate. While others celebrate, they stay on duty. This year, however, that routine paused.

In Al Quoz, hundreds of workers were not busy. They were sitting, watching, dancing, singing and laughing. These residents were guests at a New Year celebration organised for them by GDRFA.

As the sun went down, music began to play across the open ground. Workers arrived in small groups, some still in work clothes, others changed for the grand celebration on the evening.

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Some sat on the mat while many were on an elevated podium which was set up for spectators. Phones were out, messages were sent to loved ones and videos were recorded for people back home.

Workers sat together, clapping and dancing to the beat, watching live performances on stage by Bollywood celebrities. There was no rush to report for duty, no tools in hand, no uniforms to worry about as the night belonged to them to welcome the new year.

Mushtaq and Naushad Ali came together and sat side by side near the front. Both have spent years working in Dubai, often watching celebrations from a distance or hearing fireworks while on the job.

“Usually, we are busy when everyone else is enjoying,” said Mushtaq.“Today, we are not working. We are part of the celebration.”

“Everything is free - the show, the food, and the raffles, where I won 1 gram gold coin,” he said.“We did not expect this. It feels special.”

“If we go to such concerts outside, it would empty our pockets,” Naushad Ali said with a smile.

“Here, it was free. That is why this night feels even more special for us.”

Music continued to play as dance performances followed one after another. Bollywood tracks filled the air, familiar songs that many in the crowd knew by heart. Some workers tapped their feet, while many clapped along.

Actresses Poonam Pandet and Tanya Desai performed on stage to popular Bollywood numbers, followed later by Snehal Upadhyay, whose lively performance kept the energy going. The performances were simple and joyful, with one song flowing into the next.

Indian Idol singer Ankush Bhardwaj also sang a few songs for the audience. Between performances, raffle tickets were drawn. Numbers were called out and each time a winner's name was announced, cheers went up from nearby groups.

Gifts like mobile phones, gold coins and flight tickets were given to the raffles winners. Ten workers were also surprised with flydubai air tickets, giving them a chance to travel home.

Shubham, a worker from Rajasthan in India, was one of those who won a flydubai ticket during the raffle. He said he plans to use it to travel home for an upcoming family function.

“I was not expecting this at all,” Shubham said.“I will use this ticket to go home and be with my family for the function. It means a lot to me.”

Food was distributed across the ground and workers queued patiently, collecting packets before returning to their seats.

Among the crowd was Irfan Khan, a plumber who has worked in Dubai for several years. He said the evening felt different from anything he had experienced before.

“Most of the time, workers are left on their own,” he said.

“Tonight, the authorities have thought about us. It feels like respect,” Irfan said.“Not just work. Not just duty. But being invited.”

As the night moved on, actress Zareen Khan took to the stage, bringing the celebration to close. Familiar Bollywood songs played as workers watched, clapped, and recorded the moment on their phones, the open ground filled with music as the new year drew closer.

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