Dubai: Some 47 per cent of the construction work on the Red Line of Dubai Metro has been completed and it will be operating on schedule by September 2009, said a senior official.
"We have also finished 20 per cent of the construction work on the Green Line while a 1,600 metre-long tunnel under Dubai Creek to connect Union Square Station to BurJuman Centre has also been completed," said Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
One million capacity
During a briefing with Saeed Al Nuwais, UAE's Ambassador to Japan and senior officials, the RTA chief said that once completed, the two lines of Dubai Metro would be used by around 600,000 passengers per day. He said the maximum capacity of the two lines will be around 1.2 million passengers per day.
"Dubai Metro, which is a driverless and automatic rail system, provides safe and reliable service. Trains will shuttle every 90 seconds. Protective doors will be provided at stations to protect users and provide effective air-conditioning to all areas of stations, whether these stations are underground or elevated" said Al Tayer.
Red and green lines
He explained that the first stage of Dubai Metro Project comprises two main lines. The Red Line, which starts from Al Rashidiya, passes through Union Square and across Shaikh Zayed Road to Jebel Ali.
The Green Line starts from Al Nahdah Road in Al Qusais and runs through Union Square, then heads to Al Ras at Al Shindaga Station, and from there to Dubai Healthcare City.