Dubai Roads and Transport Authority’s (RTA) Rail Agency has begun a trial-run of using nanotechnology at the Noor Bank station, which reduced the cost of exterior cleaning by 35%; decreased the cleaning and maintenance frequency; and enhanced the protection of front-ends and floors of both stations and trains.
In an exclusive conversation with Construction Week, the chief executive officer of the RTA’s Rail Agency, Abdul Mohsin Ibrahim Younes, confirms: “Nanotechnology is an innovative solution that can be utilised to enhance our traditional maintenance practices, thereby reducing our operation and maintenance costs.
“One of the applications of this technology is the use of products developed from nanotechnology to improve the cleanliness of the Dubai Metro and Tram assets, particularly the external surfaces of the stations, trains, and trams. With this revolutionary product, the current cleaning frequency for a typical metro station can be reduced from the current six times a year to two times a year.”
The use of nanotechnology also has the added benefit of reducing water and electricity consumption, which results in considerable sustainability advantages.
Younes adds: “By using nanotechnology, the life of the assets can also be extended by providing direct protection against harsh environmental conditions.”
The RTA Rail Agency’s CEO also spoke to Construction Week about the future expansion plans of the Dubai Metro fleet and the delivery of 50 trains from Alstom.
Younes says: “Due to the popularity and increased ridership of the Dubai Metro, and as part of the Route 2020 Contract, Dubai’s RTA ordered 50 new modern, state-of-the-art trains from French sustainable mobility firm Alstom.”
According to the RTA, 35 trains will run on the existing red and green Lines, while 15 trains are planned for the Route 2020 – Red Line Extension scheduled for the Expo 2020 Dubai.
“The majority of these new trains are already in Dubai and are currently being tested and commissioned. The public will soon be able to ride on these new trains after April 2020. Further trains will be procured also for the Green Line Extension in the future,” Younes reveals. More
By Anup Oommen
https://www.constructionweekonline.com/
