By Sunita MenonSenior Reporter www.gulfnews.com
Dubai: Those who have previously visited fireworks celebrations on New Year’s Eve in Dubai know one thing for sure — it’s best to leave the car at home and take public transport.
It’s a common theme throughout a master plan to reduce traffic congestion and to handle hundreds of thousands of New Year’s Eve revellers, who will be out on the town to take part in the celebrations in and around Dubai Mall — Burj Khalifa and the Palm Jumeirah.
Officials with RTA said they expect metro ridership to hit 749,842 riders on the Red Line and 359,025 on the Green Line, while passengers taking the bus is expected to reach 49,920. Since its 2009 launch, Dubai Metro achieved its highest ridership last New Year’s Eve, when a record 587,542 passengers used the driverless train. Three stations – Burj Khalifa-Dubai Mall, Business Bay and Financial Centre – were the busiest, serving a total of 506,813 passengers that night.
The Dubai Metro will be operational from 5.30am on December 31 up to midnight on January 1, 2014. More info
