DUBAI – The GCC countries are on track to spend a total of $97 billion between 2011 and 2020 for new road and railway projects, Kuwait Financial Centre, or Markaz, said on Wednesday.

The total value of railway projects, including rail, metro, tram, and stations, is estimated to be $79 billion. This includes the $30 billion GCC rail network to be shared among the member countries.

For the roads sector, the total value of ongoing projects amount to almost $18 billion, Markaz said in its latest installment of the GCC infrastructure series. The series covers Power, Airports, Seaports, Roads and Railways, ICT and Water.

In the wake of Dubai’s successful metro launch, other countries are also planning or discussing their versions of the metro. Abu Dhabi too has joined the fray with 131km metro rail system, which is expected to partially start in 2015.

They also plan a pan-GCC rail network. The updated value of this project is around $30 billion and will consist of a first rail line connecting all the GCC countries. The GCC network will include one rail line of 1,970km connecting all GCC countries and Qatar via a bridge. The second line of 1,984km will stretch between Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and end in Oman. Land acquisition expenditures for the project are estimated at $3.1 billion, while the cost of purchasing trains and locomotives is budgeted at $1.8 billion. Work on the railway would start in 2012 following the completion of engineering studies.

Beginning from Kuwait, the railway will pass through the eastern Saudi Arabia city of Dammam, where it will connect to Bahrain through a bridge that runs parallel to the King Fahd Causeway before reaching Qatar via Salwa. The UAE and the Kingdom would be connected through another line that will run through Bathaa. The railway line will also run through Abu Dhabi and Al Ain to reach Oman through Sahar and Muscat. Qatar and Bahrain will be connected by a bridge.

Once completed, developers of the network plan to link the railway with ones in Jordan, Syria and Turkey.

Over the next 15 years, the total projected investment in rail projects in the GCC countries will be in excess of $100 billion including Qatar’s $35 billion, according to  industry sources.

“Rail will be an interesting option for travelers because the current preferred form of transportation in GCC is by road or by air,” said Markaz.

The report said the GCC has historically focused its transportation investments in building roadways, thus ensuring high quality roads across most of the region. Almost 100 per cent of the roads in the GCC are paved; compared to the average in other emerging countries, which is below 75 per cent. More info

issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com

Ending your fast inside the Metro trains during Ramadan will invite a fine, a senior Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) official has warned.

Ramadan Abdullah, Director of Operations of Rail Agency at the RTA, said: “Eating is not allowed on the trains. And this rule won’t change. Anyone inside the train who wants to end his fast can just disembark at the next station. People can sit on the chairs in the platforms and eat.”

Abdullah said parents who wish to feed their babies must also disembark at the nearest Metro station — but should not feed their baby inside the trains.

“Honestly, we’ve seen someone feeding a child on the train and wiping her hand on the seat. Others wouldn’t like to use dirty seats. Hence, we would like to protect other commuters by avoiding possible spillage of food or mess created while eating. We also have to protect our assets. We don’t want to end up with dirty and smelly units.” He also pointed out that many train stations have small restaurants and convenience stores that sell food and beverages. “Eating in the Metro station platform area is already allowed, and it will be allowed after the end of the fast,” he said. He also urged commuters to follow local laws and avoid eating and drinking at the Metro stations during the fasting hours.

Read more:  http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/general/no-ending-fast-on-dubai-metro-rta-1.844145

A Metro passenger is demanding reimbursement, claiming he was overcharged over several weeks for his rides.

Patrick Francis, a regular commuter, said that the tariff from Ibn Battuta to Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) station used to be just Dh2.30 as it’s within one zone. But he cited “evidence” that he’s been charged Dh4.10 – nearly 80 per cent more – for an eight-minute ride from JLT to Ibn Battuta station between 3.08pm and 3.16pm on July 2.

“This has been happening over the last two to three weeks,” said the Indian executive who lives in Discovery Gardens and works at JLT. He also claimed that the charge for the feeder bus from Ibn Battuta Metro Station to Discovery Gardens has been “raised” to Dh4.10, again offering his Nol card usage history as proof.

41% more

Meanwhile, he said the original fare from Ibn Battuta to Financial Centre is Dh4.10, but he was charged Dh5.80, 41 per cent more.

Another regular Metro user who didn’t want to be named claimed that the fare from Ibn Battuta to Deira City Centre used to be just Dh4.60, but he said he was being charged Dh5.80 since March, 26 per cent more.

When XPRESS contacted Ramadan Abdullah, Rail Operations Director under the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) he said there the Rail Agency had not increased tariffs, adding they had ways to deal with complaints of overcharging.

“We have not changed or increased any fares for the public,” said Abdullah.

“Also, if customers are in doubt about their journey and charges, they can go to any Metro station ticket office and discuss with them to clarify and they [the customer] can be assisted.”

However, Francis insisted that the staff at the Metro ticket booth in Ibn Battuta were of no help.

“One told me there are some ‘technical glitches’ causing this. Another person said the tariffs had been revised, and a third said she did not know anything [about the problem],” said Francis.

Abdullah said ticket office agents needed a reasonable amount of time to check on complaints. “Complaints come through the system to the concerned agency. If it’s valid after verification, our customers will be refunded.”

How to complain:

Lodge a complaint with the RTA Call Centre 800 9090 by providing Nol usage history (can be requested from the Metro station counter)

Go to any Metro station or bus ticket office and register a complaint

An estimated US$915b worth of construction projects are expected to be undertaken in the GCC over the next two years, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE accounting for more than 75 per cent of that figure. With business consistently on the increase, the building and construction industry has a continual need to evolve, and The Big 5 2011 will be introducing new features and opportunities to help drive business forward.

“The Big 5 exhibition has been on a journey alongside the industry over the past few years,” commented Andy White, event director for The Big 5 2011, “and we are constantly in touch with exhibitors and leading industry experts to ensure that what is on offer over the four-day event is in tune with business being done.”

Heralded as the most influential event for the building and construction industry in the region and responsible for significant economic growth across the construction industry, The Big 5 is set to reflect this evolving landscape of the industry in 2011

Following a round table discussion with members of The Big 5 Platinum Club, key decision makers from the industry with budgets of over $100 million, it became apparent that a need for knowledge share with a focus on products and sustainability was being increasingly sought out. The event has therefore made a significant commitment to creating additional platforms for discussion and showcasing new products together with applications and solutions.

Product specific seminars and green issues will be taking centre stage at the 2011 event, with dedicated arenas for exhibitors and industry experts to showcase innovative technology and relevant applications. This increasing importance of knowledge share across a number of sectors has also generated the creation of more than 80 free-to-attend seminars. Led by experts from the field who have collaborated on some of the most challenging projects seen across the globe, these seminars will include information on key products and technologies, with real life case studies, analysis of challenges and solutions.

There will also be seminars dedicated to international exhibitors, who want to find out further information about doing business in the region, how to set up and office and how a manufacturer can go about setting up a contract with a local distributer.

Taking place from 21-14 November at Dubai International Conference & Exhibition Centre, The Big 5 will also be continuing its support of sustainability and green building.  The Green Build Congress will provide an opportunity for all construction sectors to understand further the drivers for sustainable change, as well as gain experience in the practical elements of benchmarking and implementation.

Global politicians, CEOs and experts involved in the strategic planning and execution of sustainable processes will be presenting their own theories and experiences relating to green technologies and practices in the region. The event will include a ‘Vision Day’ with industry experts defining their vision for a green and sustainable future, followed by a two-day ‘Action Forum’ enabling action of a green strategy in an interactive, practical and engaging event format.

Mr. White continues: “This year, feedback has shown that there needs be a strong focus on products, what is new in the market and what products can help construction processes more efficient and more sustainable. We are constantly searching for new and innovative ways to evolve and ensure the event is completely in sync with the industry. Feedback this year has provided us with a clear direction and a strong four-day programme that propels The Big 5 into a new era.”

Securing a position as a key business driver in the Middle East over the last three decades, The Big 5 has seen a number of substantial projects specked during previous years, including the Burj Al Arab, Dubai Metro and the Palm Jumeirah. Beyond these significant projects, businesses across the globe have testified to the impact of The Big 5 on local and international economic growth:

Mohammed Al Saadi, Marketing Department Manager at Qatar Steel Company, commented, “The Big 5 is an excellent platform, serving the purpose of networking, showcasing and image building all at a time. Qatar Steel, one of the leading brands in the Middle East in the Steel industry, continues to be the part of The Big 5 Carbon Neutral Show, for the 5th time in a row in a campaign towards reducing carbon emissions.”

The Big 5 anticipates building on last year’s phenomenal success; BPA audit figures from 2010 saw an unprecedented seven per cent increase in visitor attendance from 45,177 visits in 2009 to 48,366 visits in 2010, with exhibitors from over 70 countries occupying a vast 37,872 net square feet of floor space.

Rewarding loyal customers and regular travellers, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is planning to launch a Nol monthly pass for a fixed price soon.

Though much details of the card were unavailable, Abdullah Al Madani, CEO of RTA’s Corporate Support Services Sector, said that the card is in the process of being finalised and all the details like the price, availability and eligibility criteria would be announced soon.

The monthly pass would be launched around the same time that the much anticipated Combi card, which will act both as a credit/debit card and a Nol card, is also expected to arrive.

“The combi card, through which people would be able to enjoy dual benefits of a Nol card as well as a credit/debit card, would be available in the market by Q4 of 2011,” said Al Madani exclusively to Khaleej Times.

Al Madani explained that apart from the obvious benefits of the credit card, the combi card would also have additional option of auto top-up of the NoL purse. But the facility is optional and a person while applying for the combi card would have to opt for it to avail the service. This will make sure that once the purse value goes below a pre-selected minimum amount, it will auto-top up the purse to another pre-selected value.

Al Madani said that the system will ensure that a customer won’t have to keep track of his purse and he won’t have to wait in queue at the stations and top-up the card.

The card would be personalised like the Nol blue cards with a picture and name of the holder passed on it, ensuring that it won’t be misused.

Although it wasn’t officially confirmed, sources close to both RTA and EmiratesNBD said that the card is likely to be free for the bank’s existing customers, while the fee for new customers is not known yet.

The two specialised cards come close on the heels of RTA’s recent launch of a daily pass as well as free pass and discounted fares for people with special needs, students and senior Emirati citizens respectively. These cards have been available to eligible candidates since March 15.

A daily pass costs Dh14 for unlimited trips, which can be extended for up to three days for Dh42.

Several online Nol services were also launched recently like the online top-up facility, tracking of applications for blue cards, reporting lost cards, and accessing transaction history.

Authorities from Dubai’s public transport are choosing to take a soft line in channeling people to public transport by placing adverts, highlighting the availability of thousands of parking spaces at some Metro stations, rather than stiffening licencing procedures.

“Drop the car. Free park and ride. Using the Metro is easier than ever,” goes a line in the local media.

“With over 5,700 parking spaces at Nakheel Harbour and Tower and Rashidiya stations, you can just leave your car behind. Along with the traffic.”

At the Rashidiya depot, the parking building has 2,700 spaces while Nakheel and Harbour accommodate parking spaces for 3,000 cars. Once the Green Line opens in September, the 3,000 parking space in Al Qusais will be available.

By choosing the approach of “appealing” to the potential passengers, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has done what many people may not have thought.

The transportation body was frequently asked whether they would not put in place stringent measures such as a legislation to draw people away from their cars.

Some residents however said they’re drawn to the Metro and buses for reasons more than parking space.

“I find it cheap to go by Metro. Yes, I have a car, but to move from my residential area near the Internet City to the Mall of Emirates I go by Metro which costs me less than Dhs7 for both ways, whereas going by taxi costs me Dhs24. It is cheaper and indeed faster,” said Abdul Wahab Ali.

However, another resident of the same area who works in Sharjah, pointed out that “because there is a lack of connection points with Sharjah, I have little option but to use my car.”

“But when I am not heading to Sharjah, I usually use the Metro. Each time I ride, I get fond of it,” Sharifah Hassan said.

Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the Board and Executive Director of RTA said that the number of Metro users is likely to increase considerably with the opening of the Green Line in September.”The RTA has made strenuous efforts to upgrade mass transit systems in Dubai and to make them the first choice of commuters within the Emirate. One of the core objectives of the RTA is to reduce the use of private vehicles and increase the use of mass transit means from six per cent in 2009 to as much as 30 per cent in 2020,” said Al Tayer.

Delay per daily trip reduced from 15 minutes to 5.5 minutes

Traffic congestion in Dubai has been reduced by up to 63 per cent even as money lost annually due to waste of time and fuel in traffic has come down by 51 per cent over the last five years.

Around Dh2.4 billion were lost in time and fuel loss due to traffic congestion last year, less than half of the whopping Dh4.9 billion lost in 2005, the year Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) was founded, Arabic daily Al Khaleej reported.

“The total value of saving time and fuel since the establishment of RTA amounted to Dh35.7 billion, a direct benefit of dozens of infrastructure projects completed by RTA in the last few years,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of RTA.

He said the delay per daily trip was reduced from 15 minutes to 5.5 minutes, improving by an incredible 63 per cent, which resulted in the drop of average time for the journey between the fourth intersection on Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Mulla Plaza from 88 minutes to 28 minutes.

The target was achieved after several infrastructure projects were completed simultaneously, including the completion of Business Bay, the improvement of Al Ittihad Road, the expansion of Sheikh Zayed Road, opening of new Al Garhoud Bridge and the Floating Bridge, as well as the development of Emirates Road and Dubai Bypass Road.

The opening of Dubai Metro has also had a positive impact on traffic. Thanks to the tremendous work, Dubai ranked thirty-fifth in the quality of the infrastructure in the last evaluation conducted by world city mayors.

During the last five years the length of roads in Dubai increased by 29 per cent, while the bridges increased by 195 per cent, jumping from 108 to 319. The number of tunnels also increased by 57 per cent. Al Tayer added that the increase of lanes across Dubai Creek from 19 in 2005 to the current 48 has played a major role in reducing traffic.

H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), stated that the shrewd vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, enabled the Dubai Emirate to thrive and prosper like no other city in the region, rendering it a creative city punctuated with investment projects spanning airports, ports, rail and transport systems.

Thanks to these advantages, Dubai has made unprecedented strides over the last decade in the infrastructure development.

Al Tayer made this statement in the Engineers Society Forum recently held in Kuwait where he reviewed RTA’s experiment (foundation, challenges and achievements) in the presence of H.E. Dr. Fadil Safar, State Minister of Municipal Affairs and Minister of Public Works; Dr. Engineer Husam Al Kharafi, Chairman of Kuwaiti Engineers Society; Engineer Adel Al Kharafi, President of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations; and Engineer Abdullah Fahad Al Anzi, Member of the Municipal Council and Chairman of the Technical Committee; and a number of officials and engineers in Kuwait.

RTA Chairman of the Board and Executive Director Mattar Al Tayer briefed the participants on the challenges encountered by the RTA from inception and achievements made in its transition to mass transit modes in Dubai.

Al Tayer said, “RTA was established to provide an excellent roads and transport infrastructure that supports the vision of Dubai Emirate, consolidate the roles and responsibilities of developing roads and transport systems in the Emirate under a Single Service Management, address the overriding challenges highlighted by the traffic congestion and traffic safety issues, and introduce a new structural thinking based on a corporate system. From the start, RTA faced a number of challenges topped by the transfer of roles, assets and technological systems from the Dubai Municipality, the General HQ of Dubai Police and Dubai Transport Corporation in a record time.

It also had to source the competent administrative and technical staff and sort out the traffic congestion which costs the Emirates about 4.8 billion worth of losses in terms of time wasted in tailbacks. Challenges also included traffic safety issues where traffic fatality rate was as high as 22 cases per 100 thousand of population in 2006 compared to 5 – 6 cases in countries like Britain and Sweden. RTA had also got to cope with the limited use of mass transit systems; which accounted for no more than 6% whereas this rate was as high as 40 – 80% in the advanced countries, and keep abreast of the needs of the fast economic and urban development seen by the Emirate of Dubai.”

“RTA has therefore developed plans to overcome these challenges. As far as the transfer of roles and assets is concerned, RTA formed joint work teams with various concerned departments. In the field of human resources, RTA attracted qualified individuals locally and abroad, sought the support of specialist recruitment agencies and dispatched specialized teams to various countries to select qualified personnel. In the field of traffic safety, RTA set out an integrated program aimed at gradually reducing traffic fatalities where the number of fatalities dropped from 22 cases per 100 thousand of population in 2006 to 8 cases in 2010. In the field of protecting the environment from carbon emissions, the plan envisaged the introduction of Euro 4 standards on vehicles emissions and made the satisfaction of the environmental standards a standing requirement in all newly procured buses.

As to the traffic congestion issues, RTA undertook a number of road and bridge projects and accordingly the number of lanes crossing over Dubai Creek has jumped from 19 lanes to 48 lanes recording in the process a 153% increase. The total length of roads network in Dubai Emirate increased from 8715 km in 2005 to more than 11208 km in 2010 (a 29% increase), the number of bridges increased from 108 to 319 bridges (a 195% increase), the number of tunnels increased from 21 to 54 tunnels (a 57% increase), and the number of pedestrian crossings increased from 25 to 74% (a 71% increase),” Al Tayer said.

“RTA also attended to a radical modernization of mass transit systems through undertaking the Dubai Metro, the world’s longest metro project undertaken as a single project stretching 75 km and spanning 47 stations. Phase I of the project (Red Line) was opened on 9/9/2009 and next September the Green Line will be opened. RTA also modernized the bus fleet which was beefed up from 620 buses in 2005 to 1421 buses in 2010 and 800 air-conditioned bus shelters for waiting bus passengers were constructed throughout the Emirate.

Modernization drive also covered the marine transit systems; which were previously restricted to traditional abras but today include the water bus, water taxi and ferry Dubai, besides engaging in the trial run of abras CNG-powered abras. Thanks to these projects, the number of mass transit users jumped from 163 thousand riders in 2005 to 309 million riders in 2010. moreover, work is up and running in the construction of Al Safouh Tram; extending 14 km covering 19 stations; which is expected to be operational in mid 2014,” continued Al Tayer.

In his speech, Al Tayer touched on the e-services offered by the RTA where the transition rate has clocked 100% of all services previously agreed upon with the Dubai e-Government. Services include vehicle registration, payment of fines, payment of parking fees through the mobile phone (mParking), the Dynamic Navigation System (Dalili), upgrading of the traffic technologies, toll gate systems (Salik) and other programs namely Wojhati, Sharekni and Awselni aimed at enhancing the role of public transport. It also posted the details of public transport on Google Maps, thus Dubai became the first MENA city that managed to post its public transport network in the digital space (Google Maps). RTA also launched innovative e-services such as the online taxi booking system or through an SMS.

Al Tayer concluded his speech by reviewing the key excellence aspects of the RTA which revolve around five elements namely: Leadership, result-oriented, quality-driven, customer centricity and caring for human resources. He stated that the implementation of these principles contributed to RTA receiving coveted local, regional and international awards.

The speech delivered by Al Tayer was well received and praised by senior Kuwaiti officials who were impressed with the massive efforts and achievements made by the RTA in a record time. They also commended RTA strategic plan set for upgrading mass transit systems in Dubai Emirate as well as the integrated and balanced approach adopted by the RTA in its transport and traffic strategic plan.

During the visit, Al Tayer was accompanied by the Acting CEO of Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector Nasir Hamad Bu Shehab, Director of Development and Corporate Performance Ahmed Al Hamadi, and Manager of Public Relations and Events Fahad Hadi.

The number of 12,811 fines issued by the Metro’s security staff since its inception may seem big to many, reflecting a high number of violations.

But according to a senior official from RTA, it is very low compared to the other big cities in the world, where violations and crime levels are quite high. This, definitely makes Dubai Metro one of the safest in the world.

“Very few crime or antisocial cases have been reported on the trains or stations so far, and the dedicated Dubai Metro Police have not come across anything major so far. They are trained and ready to handle anything if they come across,” said Adnan Al Hammadi, CEO of RTA’s Rail Agency.

A few cases of theft and a few brawls had been reported. Apart from that there hadn’t been any untoward incidents, he added.

Though, the crime rate is absolutely low, 1.5 cases per million passengers, when compared to some of the other big cities in the world where the rates range between six to 15 cases per million passengers, there are near daily instance of violations that reflect in the number of fines issued.

As the violations range, so do the fines, ranging from Dh100 for offences like putting up the feet on the seat, eating or drinking; to Dh2,000 for misusing the emergency button.

So, how does Dubai Metro manage to keep the crime rate down?

Apart from the dedicated police force and close to 3,000 CCTV cameras that monitor every area of the trains and stations, there are also hundreds of specially trained, mostly female, attendants who are hands on to take care of any situation that arises on metro.

Here we talk to a few Metro attendants to get an insight into what happens daily on the trains. Though each narrated different experiences, they were all unanimous in confirming that they have found Dubai Metro much safer than some of the other train systems they have visited.

“Our days are fairly peaceful on Dubai Metro. Apart from making sure everything is in order, there is nothing much to do. I even sometimes get bored of not doing anything,” said Agnus (name changed), who joined Dubai Metro last year.

She added that apart from the occasional arguments or misunderstandings, people in Dubai are generally very disciplined.

Another attendant, Mariam (name changed) said that she had come across a few misbehaving men who don’t listen and had to be dealt with sternly. “These cases are few and far between. There was a particular incident when a man tried to molest a woman. When the woman protested he tried to be violent. Our guards had to drag him out,” she added.

Penalties for such cases could be anything between a fine of Dh2,000 and even a jail-term.

She urged people to keep a few things in mind to avoid trouble, like: Not to push, keep personal space, not to rush and avoid eating on the Metro.

The Dubai Metro’s Green Line is touted by the transport authorities as one that “easily links most of the government departments.”

“When you arrive at the airport, you can circulate most of the government departments within less than half an hour,” the Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Mattar Al Tayer told the media in his chambers at Umm Ramool, Rashidiya on June 21.

The intra-city line that is due for opening “shortly before Eid next September” spans 23 km from Al Qusais to Al Jadaf. It comprises 16 stations in addition to the transfer stations; Union and Khalid bin Al Waleed Stations, shared with the Red Line.

“I boarded the trial trains last week and it was amazing. The Central Business Districts are covered in minutes,” Al Tayer said.

The 16 stations are: Etisalat Station, situated at Al Qusais near Emirates Road; 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 Centre – a hub for several Government services, and the Airport Free Zone Station, where Terminal 2 and Dubai Airport Free Zone are located.

Other stations are Al Nahda which is adjacent to the building of the Ministry of Public Works and the Union Cooperative Society; Al Ahli Club and Al Qiyadah -both on Al Ittihad Road near the Dubai Police General HQ.

There is Abu Hail Station, close to public schools, commercial centres and businesses; Abu Baker Al Siddique Station, near Al Muraqqabat Police Station among others in Deira area before extending to Oud Metha close to Al Nasr Club and the Dubai Healthcare City.

Al Tayer said he has now turned into a “consultant of sort” in the Gul Cooperation Council (GCC).

“They want to know how we managed to tame traffic congestion in such a short  period of time.

“Within two days, I will be off to Kuwait, and I have an invitation for the Sultanate of Oman,” he said. The RTA was established in 2005 and “it was a challenge in the first five years,” Al Tayer remarked.