Staff Reporter www.khaleejtimes.com
DUBAI — The Rail Agency in the emirate is exploring the expansion of its rail project up to 2030 over and above the existing projects of Dubai Metro and Sufouh Tram.
“Trains are among the best transport modes as they minimise the environmental pollution and conserve the environment as much as threefold (compared to other) vehicles and aircraft,” Mohammed Al Ruwaished, Director of Quality, Health, Safety and Environment Department at the Rail Agency of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said.
The plan was stated during the RTA’s announcement of its environmental and sustainability work plan 2010, which aims at curbing pollution and conserving the environment.
“Rail Agency has based its environmental and sustainability work plan 2010 on two key axes,” Al Ruwaished said.
“The first one is implementation and application of the environmental management system across the Rail Agency through compliance with the international environmental standards.
“The second one is sustainability of environmental enforcement and audit, which is viewed as an extension of the international environmental standards as well as a strategic goal of the RTA.”
Standards of green buildings and sustainability will govern all future rail projects in Dubai. More emphasis is also laid on minimising the waste of building projects, and methods of saving power and water consumption.
Environmental aspects such as noise and air pollution and vibrations during the construction phase will also be looked into.
“There are environmental stipulations which we have to comply with such as not to exceed the noise levels permissible in the emirate of Dubai as monitored by the enforcement systems in place,” he said.
“The agency is also observing other stipulations such as dust control, introducing preventive measures to prevent the blowing of dust, and safe disposal of waste resulting from construction of rail projects.”
The RTA is conduction a monthly audit and inspection ensuring the minimum effect and impact on the environment and community.
“The department pays serious attention to tracking public complaints and taking instant measures in their response, particularly those related to high noise and ground vibration levels resulting from rail project activities,” Al Ruwaished said.
