Source:Â www.khaleejtimes.com
There was a time not so long ago when the Metro was seen as an exercise in mild futility. The general if uninformed public consensus was that Dubai was a car-centric town and that no executive would deign to take a train to work and that these blue streaks would go empty.
As one congratulates the RTA on a magnificent obsession and their determination to prove that school of thought wrong by crossing the 100 million passenger mark in just over two years, there is only pride in accepting that the Metro is now intrinsic to the mass transit concept in Dubai and is performing a yeoman duty in connecting the hubs and making travel across the metropolis that much easier.
To be entirely fair, the convenience is further heightened by the arrival of the Green Line, which has provided a breadth to the length and now allows the traveler to move with that much more ease.
Cleanliness, high maintenance values and extreme safety add to the experience and even those who are not joyriding but commuting to work and back have gradually discovered that the back up transportation via bus or private taxi, if one so chooses is seamless and there is no delay. In fact, proof of the huge popularity of the Metro system can be visually confirmed by just looking at the trains going past and seeing how they have gradually begun to fill up with passengers.
With the good weather upon us the sun is certainly shining on the efforts of the RTA in offering this hi-tech 21st century option to the people. With tourist traffic certain to show a marked rise in the months to come, one believes that even the Metro will have a waiting time as each train fills up.
It is a far cry from 24 months ago when the attitude was one of the Metro not being for likes of us. Today, the CEO sits in comfort, reading his paper and avoiding the costs of car travel, parking and delays. The best part of this situation is that there is no longer that ‘hang up’ of it being déclassé. On the contrary travelling by train has become the logical thing to do and it is not heavy on the pocket.
Good show…right on track.
