Source: www.rta.ae
Al Tayer: 50 trains deployed to serve the Red & Green lines in peak times, 28 trains in off-peak times.
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, will launch on 9 September 2011 the official operation of the Dubai Metro Green Line; which stretches 23 km and comprises 18 stations in addition to the two transfer stations; Union and Khalid bin Al Waleed Stations shared with the Red Line. All stations will be opened except Al Jadaf and Creek Stations as the property projects intended to be served by these two stations have yet to be completed, although both stations are ready for operation. The opening of the Green Line marks the completion by the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) of the biggest vital transport project ever undertaken across the region.
On this date the Red & Green lines of Dubai Metro will intersect twice; first time at the Union Station; which is the biggest underground metro station in the world spanning an area of 25,000 square meters, and second time at Khalid bin Al Waleed Station; which is one of the most dazzling metro stations across the globe. Metro riders can transfer between the two lines through these two stations.
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA, said on this occasion: “The completion of the vital Dubai Metro project culminates the continual support and attention of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President & Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to uplift the infrastructure of Dubai Emirate, and epitomizes RTA Strategic Plan, which is aligned with the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 (Infrastructure Sector), aimed at providing integrated roads & transit systems ensuring smooth mobility and highest safety levels to all network users. The project completion is also a result of the persistent follow-up of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, and His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; who were the first to witness several constructional & operational works achieved throughout the Dubai Metro drive.”
“According to the study carried out by the RTA for the areas covered by the Green Line, 14 trains will be operated during peak hours and 10 trains during off-peak hours with a service frequency (headway) ranging from 6 to 8 minutes. Accordingly, the number of trains operated on both the Red and Green lines will shoot to 50 trains during peak times and 28 trains during off-peak times,” added Al Tayer.
He emphasized that the number of the metro riders will pick up considerably following the operation of the Green Line as it serves dynamic and high-density commercial, government and residential areas.
“16 stations will be opened on the Green Line; namely Etisalat Station, situated at Al Qusais near Emirates Road; which is the starting point of the Green Line. The station is linked with a multi-level Park-and-Ride terminal with a capacity to house 2350 vehicles as well as a bus station in order to encourage the public to use the Metro in travelling within Dubai Emirate. The design of the station provides sufficient space for public buses to feed the station and ensures a smooth flow of a large number of buses at a time. The parking lot is also fitted with air-conditioned footbridges linking with the other side of the Road, and all essential safety standards are in place to ensure smooth passenger movement within the facility.
Next comes Al Qusais Station, situated near the building of the Ministry of Education and the General Department of Dubai Civil Defence as well as Al Tawar Center; which is a hub for several Government services. Then comes the Airport Free Zone Station; which serves Terminal 2 of Dubai Airport and Dubai Airport Free Zone. The fourth station is Al Nahda Station; which is adjacent to the building of the Ministry of Public Works and the Union Cooperative Society. The fifth station is the Stadium Station near Al Ahli Club.
The sixth station on the Green Line is Al Qiyadah Station on Al Ittihad Road near the Dubai Police General HQ, followed by the seventh station, Abu Hail station, which serves a host of public schools, commercial centers and businesses, and the eighth station is Abu Baker Al Siddique Station which is situated near Al Muraqqabat Police Station and serves several commercial centers, hotels and business outlets.
The Metro line moves then through an underground passage extending 8 km, starting with Salah Uddin Station; which is the ninth station on the Green Line, following which the Green and Red Lines intersect at the Union station; which is considered the largest underground metro station in the world spanning an area of 25,000 square meters with a capacity to handle about 22,000 passengers per hour. The station comprises two levels and measures 230 meters in length, 50 meters in width and 18 meters in depth. It accommodates business & service outlets for the metro riders and has two entry points fitted with elevators and escalators. Four tunnels branch out of the Union Square Station linking up with Baniyas Square & Salah Al Din Stations on the Green Line as well as Khalid bin Al Waleed and Al Rigga Stations on the Red Line.
The tenth station on the Green Line is Baniyas Square Station; which serves a densely populated and high business traffic area incorporating Naif Souk and a large number of hotels and business outlets. The eleventh station is Palm Deira Station, followed by Al Ras and Al Ghubaiba Stations; which feature a typical UAE traditional architectural design. The gist of the design concept revolves around employing the architectural traditional elements used in antique buildings, such as wind towers (Brajeel), oriels (Mashrabia), alleyways (Sukaik), internal arches and others through replicating them in an enhanced manner, while addressing the aesthetic and technical dimensions of those elements such that the heritage-inspired stations would look like a natural expansion of the traditional Souks in the locality, the Heritage & Diving Village, and the antique control towers dotting the locality. The entrances of the station at the ground level have been designed to match the traditional architectural setting of the area and integrate with the design of the Dubai Creek Shores Development Project; which has the same theme. The two stations serve heavily populated areas, trading outlets and banks visited by plenty of visitors.
The fourteenth station is Al Fahidi Station; which serves an area of high-density commercial enterprises comprising shops, hotels and banks and the two lines then converge at Khalid bin Al Waleed Station; which is one of the most beautiful metro stations worldwide. The metro route then moves above the ground in an elevated track with the next stop being the fifteenth station of Oud Metha, nearby Al Nasr Club. The Station serves a variety of government entities such as Rashid Hospital, Dubai Media Inc, schools and resident communities clubs. The sixteenth station is Dubai Healthcare City; which will be the terminus station under the initial operational stage, and the station will mainly serve the hospitals of the Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Wafi Center and hotels in the vicinity.
Al Tayer further added that RTA opted to hold the opening of Al Jadaf and Creek Stations, though being ready for operation, due to the non-completion of property projects to be served by these two stations and the lack of passengers to use these two stations for the time being, adding that RTA would consider opening them in the next stage.
