By Ashfaq Ahmed, Deputy UAE Editor www.gulfnews.com
Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, officially launched the Green Line – the second track of the Dubai Metro on Friday.
The official opening ceremony was held at the Dubai Health Care City Station on Friday afternoon.
With the opening of Green Line, Dubai Metro entered Guinness Book of Word Records as the longest automated driverless system in the world.
Shaikh Mohammad along with invited guests took ride of the 23km long line all the way to Etisalat Station. The line will open to passengers from Saturday, September 10.
Shaikh Mohammad also inaugurated various commemorative marks at five stations to mark the opening of the Green Line.
The Green Line passes through 20 stations, including 18 of its own stations and two transfer stations shared by both the Green and the Red Lines. Two of its stations, including Al Ras and Al Ghubaiba, have unique heritage designs.
Some 16 out of 18 stations will open on Friday while two stations — Creek and Al Jaddaf – will open at a later stage.
“The number of the metro riders are expected to pick up considerably following the operation of the Green Line as it serves dynamic and high-density commercial, government and residential areas,” said Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai.
He anticipated that the Green Line would be used over the remaining months of 2011 by about 100,000 passengers every day while the Red Line, is being used by around 180,000 passengers every day.
Al Tayer added that the RTA opted to hold the opening of Al Jaddaf and Creek Stations, though being ready for operation, due to the non-completion of property projects to be served by these two stations and the lack of passengers to use these two stations for the time being.
