By Natasha Al-Atassi www.selectproperty.com
Last month saw a flurry of emergency services vehicles converge on Rashidiya Metro station. The drill was part of disaster preparation organised by the Emirate’s Crisis Management Team (CMT).
Just two days earlier there had been an extensive workshop conducted to discuss this very issue. Members from the Dubai Police, Civil Defence, Dubai Municipality, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Ambulance services and the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority were all present.
A scenario was then arranged by the CMT in which a motor vehicle had crashed directly into a support pillar at the Rashidiya Metro station. The drill was then carried out between the hours of 01:00 and 04:00 on Friday 14th December. Serco, the Metro operator, assisted with this emergency drill.
Speedy response time
Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, the CMT chairman, stated it is imperative that there is a “speedy response time”. The co-ordination of all of the official bodies is required to help “prevent human casualties”, added Mr Bahrozyan.
The Rashidiya station is one of a total of 29 stations sits on the Red Metro line and has been in operation since 2009. This station forms a hub at one end of this transport system. There is parking for up to 3,000 vehicles as well as a maintenance depot and adjacent bus and taxi connections.
Of the stations that run along the Red line, 24 are elevated, one is at ground level and the remaining four are underground. On any given day, tens of thousands of commuters will use the Metro train services. Currently the Red line is 51.1 km long, although there are already plans afoot for an extension. More info
