Dh11b Red Line extension complete
MOHAMMAD OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES 15KM-LONG ROUTE 2020, WHICH OPENS TO PUBLIC IN SEPTEMBER
Assistant Editor
Route 2020, a 15km extension of Dubai Metro’s Red Line linking the Expo 2020 Dubai site to Dubai International Airport, will open to commuters in September.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, officially inaugurated Route 2020 at Jebel Ali metro station yesterday.
With the completion of Route 2020, the length of the Dubai Metro, launched on September 9, 2009, has increased to 90km.
Shaikh Mohammad tweeted a video of the launch ceremony, saying: “We announced 47 months ago about the extension of the Dubai Metro Red Line at a cost of Dh11 billion. Today we are launching our project, 50 trains, seven stations, 125,000 passengers daily, 12,000 engineers and technicians and 80 million hours of work to complete our work on time as we promised. We say what we do and we do what we say. This is Dubai.”
Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council; Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates airline and Group, attended the ceremony along wth other shaikhs and officials.
Shaikh Mohammad was briefed by Mattar Mohammad Al Tayer, director-general and Chairman of RTA’s Board of Executive Directors.
15km long route
Route 2020 will serve a population of around 270,000 in The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, Al Furjan, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai Investment Park and the Expo 2020 site.
It extends 15km and links seven stations. It is also viewed as a future link between several Dubai communities and Al Maktoum International Airport.
New metro trains
Shaikh Mohammad and his entourage toured Jebel Ali station, an interchange station that spans 8,800 square metres in area with total capacity of
320,000 riders per day. He also boarded the new metro train, which features some modifications to the interior design of the metro carriages.
Al Tayer said: “Route 2020 has a capacity of 46,000 riders per hour in both directions. RTA’s studies expect the number of riders using Route
2020 to reach 125,000 per day in 2021, and 275,000 riders per day by 2030.
Link to two airports
There will be a key train service to link Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 metro stations at the Dubai International Airport with the Expo 2020 station. There will also be a bus service for passengers departing from the Expo station to Al Maktoum International Airport
In the near future, Route 2020 will be extended 3.4km from Expo 2020 station to Al Maktoum airport, thereby link ing both Dubai airports.
We announced 47 months ago about the extension of the Metro Red Line at a cost of Dh11 billion. Today we are launching our project ... We say what we do and we do what we say. This is Dubai.”
Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum