Gulf News - Wednesday, 8 September 2010 -29 Ramadan 1431 H

On September 9, the Dubai Metro will celebrate one year of operation amid huge success indicators in the operational efficiency, punctuality in journey schedules, high global safety standards, and a number of users who clocked from the inception up to the first of week of September this year t about 30 million.

Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), expressed his delight.

“The number of Dubai Metro users has been on the rise since its launch on 09/09/2009 jumping from 1.8 million passengers in October 2009 to 3.3 million passengers in August 2010; recording in the process a growth rate of 183 per cent.

"In September 2009, metro users clocked 2,196,920 passengers and the number soared in October to 1,767,879 passengers.

The number of monthly passengers served by the metro broke the two million barrier in December 2009 and continued to grow steadily to hit 3,193,087 passengers in May 2010 and the number still showed further growth to clock 3,301,959 passengers last August.

“The daily ridership of Dubai Metro jumped from 54,683 passengers in October 2009 to 116,340 passengers last June, recording a growth rate of 212 per cent.

Last July the metro daily ridership hit an all-time high as the number of passengers who used the metro on July 1 reached 130,529 passengers," he said.

“These indicators reconfirm that RTA is proceeding ahead with its drive to achieve its strategic objective of raising the share of mass transit modes in the
number of person trips to 30 per cent by 2020, and the indicator is currently pointing to a 12.6 per cent.

The massive investments pumped by the Government of Dubai in developing the infrastructure of mass transit sector have proved to be both successful and
effective," Al Tayer said.

Milestones of Dubai Metro Project Completion

- July 2005: The design and construction contract of the Dubai Metro Project was awarded to Dubai Rapid Link Consortium (DURL).

- 21 March 2006: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated the construction works of the Dubai Metro in an official ceremony held at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

- 29 July 2006: The first concrete pile of the elevated track of Dubai Metro was cast between the 6th and 7th Interchanges of Sheikh Zayed Road.

- 10 January 2007: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the tunneling drive of the Dubai metro tunnels with HH pressing the buttons of the giant tunnel boring machine, which was billed by the RTA as Al Wugesha, in an event signaling the start of the tunneling works from Al Ittihad Metro Station in the direction of the Dubai Creek up to Khalid bin Al Waleed Station.

- 5 November 2007: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, expressed satisfaction with the progress rate of the Dubai Metro Project in a visit made by HH to Al Ittihad Metro Station and Al Riqqa Metro Station and the tunnel linking them, where HH was accompanied by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Dubai Emirate.

- Their Highnesses and the entourage boarded one of the metro carriages in a tour inside the metro tunnel linking Al Ittihad Station and Al Riqqa Station during which they were briefed about the progress rate in the Dubai Metro tunneling drive.

During the visit, they were also briefed on the standards of security and occupational safety of employees working in the construction of the metro project.

Their highnesses expressed the vital need of complying with the highest global standards in this field in order to safeguard the lives and ensure the safety of all workers and engineers engaged in constructing this vital project.

- 7 March 2008: The first batch of the Dubai metro carriages arrived in Jebel Ali Port comprising 10 carriages, and was lifted to the Jebel Ali Depot.

- 20 September: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the technical trial run of the Dubai Metro on the test track stretching 11 km from Jebel Ali Station to Ibn Battuta Station.

- 5 July 2009: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, inspected the expeditious works in the Dubai Metro tunnel in a about six kilometer ride that took HH from City Center Station via Al Riqqa Station and Al Ittihad Station up to Khalid bin Al Waleed Station.

- 9/9/2009: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated the official operation of the Dubai Metro shuttling over ten stations.

- 4 January 2010: The opening of Burj Khalifa Station concurrently made with the Dubai’s celebrations of the anniversary of taking office as Ruler of Dubai by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and marking the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.

- 30 April 2010: Seven new metro stations were opened: Emirates Airlines Station, Airport Terminal 1 Station, Al Karama Station, Emirates Towers Station, Dubai Internet City Station, Marina Station, and Ibn Battuta Station.

- 15 May 2010: Three Metro stations opened: GGICO Station, Trade Center Station, Noor Islamic Bank Station.

Factfile of the Dubai Metro

- The Dubai Metro comprises two main lines; the Red Line and the Green Line.

- Total length of the Red and Green lines is about 75 km, and the total number of stations is 47 stations.

- The Red and Green lines intersect at Al Ittihad and Khalid bin Al Waleed Stations.

- The Red Line extends 52 km and comprises 29 stations, including 4 underground stations, and 25 elevated stations.

- The Red Line starts off Al Rashidiya, passes through the Dubai International Airport, Al Riqqa district, Al Ittihad station and Sheikh Zayed Road up to Jebel Ali area.

- The Green Line extends 23 km and comprises 18 stations, including 6 underground stations and 12 elevated stations.

- The Green Line starts off Al Qusais and passes through the Dubai Police General HQ, Al Ittihad Station, Al Ras district and then passes through Al Shindagha area, Dubai Healthcare City up to Al Jaddaf.

- The metro project is fitted with three park-and-ride facilities with a total capacity to house 9000 vehicles.