By Eudore R Chand www.emirates247.com
Trial runs of the trains on Dubai Metro’s Green Line have started, in preparation for the planned opening of the delayed line next year.
For the past couple of weeks residents and travellers along the Green Line route, between Al Nahda and Healthcare City, have noticed the familiar blue trains slowly navigating the elevated tracks.
Though the exact date of the opening is not yet revealed, the Green Line was initially projected to be operational by April 2010.
In June, Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said that the project is progressing on schedule towards the planned opening in August 2011.
He said construction works of most stations have been completed, while the completion of stations’ interior finishing works varies from 10 to 100 per cent.
The project was started in July 2006 at the then estimated cost of Dh1.5 billion, according to the RTA.
It is a full turnkey project that includes design and construction of both the civil works and rail system. The project comprises 8 underground stations, 12 elevated stations, and one depot.
The length of project is 8km underground and 15km above ground.
Rolling stock comprises 17 trains initially rising to 42 trains in 2015 and 50 trains in 2020.
The total length of the line is around 23km and the estimated journey time from start to finish is approximately 26 minutes.
