On this day in 2009, the Dubai Emirate celebrated the opening of the Red Line; which extends 52 km and comprises 29 stations (4 underground, 24 elevated, and 1 at the grade). After two years of the Red Line operation, Dubai also celebrated on 9 September 2011 the launch of the Green Line; which spans 23 km and comprises 18 stations (6 underground, 12 elevated), and the two lines intersect at Khalid bin Al Waleed and Al Ittihad Stations.
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), said: “This huge success has gone beyond the boundaries of the Emirate to the world over, stamping the prominent standing of Dubai as a distinctive metropolitan city and a hub for business as well as sophisticated living standards. The Dubai Metro is also viewed as an iconic addition to the landmarks and high-flying achievements of the Dubai Emirate, particularly as it used cutting-edge technology of the rail industry, and carved a niche for itself as the world’s longest driverless metro project.
“The Dubai Metro project is a brainchild of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in providing an integrated infrastructure of road networks and transit systems comprising railroads, public buses, marine transit modes and modern traffic technologies in the context of HH endeavours to provide an integrated transit system capable of matching the sweeping development seen by the Emirate and measuring up to its futuristic ambitions. The project also comes in implementation of the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 in general and the Infrastructure & Environment Sector in particular with a view to offering a smooth mobility, enhancing transit safety levels, and making mass transit systems the ideal choice of mobility,” continued RTA Chairman of the Board and Executive Director.
Al Tayer was delighted with these positive indicators depicting a growth in the Dubai Metro users, and demonstrating that RTA plan for increasing the ridership of mass transit systems was moving in the right direction. Such indicators also revealed a shift and evolution in the culture of the community towards embracing mass transit systems as peoples started to perceive the benefits & advantages of using public transport such as the psychological relief, physical comfort and handy mobility experienced besides economizing on the outlays on fuel and vehicle maintenance.
“The number of commuters using the metro Red Line from the start of operation on 9/9/2009 till the end of last August totaled 151,781,357 passengers, showing a sustained growth in jumping from 1.8 million passengers in October 2009 to as much as 3.3 million passengers in August 2010, and rocketing to 6 million passengers per month during the second half of this year. The ridership of the Metro Green Line from the initial start of operations on 9/9/2011 till the end of last August hit 32,592,310 passengers rising from 2.4 million in October 2011 to 3 million passengers in July last.
“These indicators avouch that the RTA is making headway in its drive to realize its strategic objective of ultimately raising the share of public transit means to 30 per cent of the total number of trips by 2030, whereas such ratio clocked 10 per cent in 2011. The massive investments injected by the Dubai Metro in upgrading the infrastructure of public transport sector proved both feasible & effective in bolstering the economic development witnessed by the Emirate of Dubai under the prudent leadership of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. It also acted as a catalyst to reviving the business process, boosting the tourist activities, and offering safe & smooth transit systems capable of facilitating the mobility, propping up the economy and raising the competitive edge of Dubai in hosting international events such as conferences, sports events, and horseracing among others. Investment on public transport will also result in conserving the environment, slashing the financial repercussions associated with traffic congestions, and shifting the demand for mobility services from private vehicles to public transit means.
Milestones of the Dubai Metro Project:
• July 2005: The Designing & Constructing of the Dubai Metro Project contract was awarded to the Dubai Rapid Link (DURL) consortium.
• 21 March 2006: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum inaugurated the construction works of the Dubai Metro project in an official ceremony held in Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.
• 29 July 2006: Casting of the first concrete pier for the elevated track of the Dubai Metro between the 6th and 7th Interchanges of Sheikh Zayed Road.
• 10 Jan 2007: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the initial drilling works of the Dubai Metro tunnels by pushing the button of the giant Tunnel Boring Machine (Alwugisha) marking the start of the tunneling works from Al Ittihad Station to Khalid bin Al Waleed Station passing under the bed of the Dubai Creek.
• 7 March 2008: The first batch of 10 metro carriages arrived in Jebel Ali Port.
• 20 September 2008: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the trial run of the Dubai Metro on the test track.
• 9/9/2009: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the official operation of the Red Line traveling over 10 stations.
• 9/9/2011: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the official operation of the Green Line of the Dubai Metro.
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