Nakheel’s $590 million (Dh2.1 billion) Palm Monorail, which opened on Wednesday, will be connected to Dubai Metro’s Tecom Station, XPRESS has learnt.
Marwan Al Qamzi, Executive Director of Nakheel Southern Projects, said the new leg of the monorail project will extend by 2.1 kilometres. At a projected construction cost of $80 million (Dh294 million) per kilometre, the monorail addition will cost a little more than $160 million (Dh589 million) and give The Palm Jumeirah residents and Atlantis Hotel guests a direct link to the Dubai Metro which opens in September.
Al Qamzi said no deadline has been set for the extension.
“We have a plan in place to build it,” Qamzi said moments after officially declaring the Palm Monorail open for the public, which XPRESS first reported on Tuesday. “But it will only be done when it is required. We don’t have a date to build it yet.” He said Nakheel built the new monorail in cooperation with the Roads and Transport Authority and will continue talks to complete the new extension.
The biggest challenge in extending the service to Shaikh Zayed Road will be determining the land route on which massive concrete viaducts could be erected to support the rail system.
As there are many buildings between the Gateway Tower Station and the Tecom Station, Al Qamzi said: “We have to build around a very sharp radius.” Al Qamzi, meanwhile, said the new Dubai landmark will serve as a major tourist attraction.
The new monorail is now open from 8am to 10pm daily and is being operated by 100 employees of the Singapore-based SMRT Engineering Pte Ltd (SMRTE). Tariff is Dh15 for a one-way ride and Dh25 for a return ticket.
By Derek Baldwin , Senior Reporter , www.xpress4me.com
