UAE once again starts off a limestone of public transport with the help of a japanese company Mitsubishi
Dubai Municipality's Transportation Planning Specialist, Dr. Abdelqader Elshabani, presented Dubai's vision and plans regarding the Dubai Metro Project with a budget of 14 billion Dirhams($3.4billion dollars). The metro system will be the longest state of the art fully automated system in the world.


Dubia Metro







Dubai has a rapidly growing population and severe traffic congestion problems. The population has grown from 183,000 inhabitants in 1970 to roughly 1.1 million today, and the increase is forecast to continue at an annual rate of 6.4% to reach some 3 million inhabitants by 2017.

Dubai Municipality has identified the need for an urban rail system to supply additional capacity, relieve growing motor traffic and support the city's continuing development. Systra has been awarded the preliminary engineering contract.

The Metro network will be fully integrated within the overall network operated by the Dubai Municipality Public Transport Department. Bus routes and stops will be organised around the backbone provided by the rail system. Taxi stations and park-and-ride facilities will be included in key Metro stations to further enhance the central system's role. The start for construction was given as October 2005.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The Dubai Metro will be one of the most advanced urban rail systems in the world and will be the catalyst for tourism, financial and economic growth. Investment costs for the full system have been assessed at a grand total of about AE$14.3 billion, including civil works, stations, system fixed equipment, trains, engineering and financing.

The first stage of the Preliminary Engineering Study was completed in late-2004, concluding that two lines, total distance 70km (43.5 miles), are needed.

The 50km (31-mile) Red Line, with 35 stations, runs from Salahuddin Road (close to Al Ghurair Centre) to the American University of Dubai through Burjuman and Sheikh Zayed Rd, and will be progressively extended to Jebel Ali Port in the south and the intersection of Al Nahda and Damascus roads through Al Qiyadah intersection in the north.

The 20km (12.4-mile) Green Line, with 22 stations, runs from Al Ittihad Square to Rashidiya bus station through Deira City Centre and Dubai Airport Terminals 1 and 3. It will be progressively extended to serve the Deira and Bur Dubai central areas and Souks up to Burjuman and Wafi shopping centres. Two interchange stations will be built at Al Ittihad Square and Burjuman.

Both lines run underground in the city centre. Underground sections are on the Red Line from the intersection of Sheikh Rashid and Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed roads to just before the intersection of Salahuddin and Abu Bakr Al Siddique roads and from Garhoud to Oud Metha Road on the Green Line.

Elsewhere, trains will run on specially designed elevated viaducts. The viaduct design and aesthetics has been developed specifically to actually enhance the urban architecture along its corridor. In no location do the tracks cross the public highway, ensuring fully safe mode segregation.

The opening date for the first section is around 2009, with completion of the whole system three years later. A key objective of the engineering studies is to minimise the impact on road traffic and on city life in general during the works. The underground works will be carried out without affecting buildings, and authorities have stated that residents will not be disturbed by excavation work.

ROLLING STOCK

The Dubai Metro will be built around 99 modern trains, fully air-conditioned and designed to meet Dubai's specific requirements. Each five-car train will be approximately 75m long, seating around 400 passengers but with standing room for many more. Numerous double doors will allow fast and smooth flows of passengers during station stops. No builder had been chosen in 2005.

The trains will offer a standard class with a women and children only section plus an exclusive first class section. All will have a high proportion of seats, and be equipped with a passenger information system.

Trains will be driverless, fully automated, offering a safe and reliable service with trains as often as every 90 seconds, and glass to provide panoramic views over the elevated sections.

No visually intrusive overhead contact lines will be needed, thanks to the third rail collection system. The trains will use steel wheels or tyres (to be defined later) running on a special double track for full guidance and support.

All stations will be equipped with platform screen doors, ensuring optimal safety for passengers and allowing to fully air-condition all stations, whether elevated or underground.

SIGNALLING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Electronic passenger information screens will display train journey and other information. The automatic train control system will allow headways of between 90 seconds and two minutes.

THE FUTURE

Once in full operation, the Dubai Metro is projected to carry approximately 1.2 million passengers on an average day, and 355 million passengers per year.

The operating cost should be approximately AE$570 million per year, including staff, maintenance and power consumption. This cost is planned to be easily met through fare box revenue and additional revenues derived from advertisement space, joint development or other sources.

A possible extension of the Green Line from Wafi to the projected Festival City development is under study.