By CW staff www.constructionweekonline.com
Only some of the final eight stations on the Dubai Metro Red Line will be opened this year, despite a previous promise that the network would be fully up and running by October, the National has reported.
The newspaper quoted a senior official at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) as saying that the delay was due to low projected numbers of probable users and a lack of development around some stations.
“We will open some stations by the end of the year, in the fourth quarter. Some stations we may keep closed longer. All eight will not be opened at the same time. It will depend on the ridership figures we get. We are constantly getting data,” said Ramadan Mohammed, RTA director of rail operations.
The stations that are not yet open are Business Bay, First Gulf Bank, Sharaf DG, Nakheel, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Energy Station, Jebel Ali Industrial and Jebel Ali. Only Sharaf DG and Jumeirah Lakes Towers are near residential areas.
Mohammed also told the paper that a final decision on which stations would remain closed in the near term could come soon, although no date was specified.
The Red Line currently has 21 working stations on its route.
Mohammed also said that the Green Line was still on track for launch in August next year, although the 20 stations on the branch will also be subject to review if their neighbourhoods are not sufficiently developed.
“All the Green Line stations will be ready but it depends on ridership. If you look at Jadaf station there is no development, there is no construction around it for opening this station,” the official added.
