Route 2020 test run to begin from May 2019
Mattar Al Tayer, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, recently briefed His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, on the progress of construction work Route 2020.
The new route covers the 15km extension of the Dubai Metro Red Line to the site of Expo 2020. The Project includes seven stations (five elevated and two underground). According to Al Tayer, the project’s completion rate has reached 53 per cent.
The design of the iconic station at the Expo site features plane wings that reflect the city’s journey towards the future through innovation. One of the key stations of the project that will serve millions of visitors, it has been designed to ensure the smooth entry and exit of passengers at all times. The project also features an interchange station linking Route 2020 and the Red Line of Dubai Metro at Nakheel Harbour and Tower Station. Its design is similar to the existing stations. The designs of the elevated and underground stations were tailored to provide higher capacity than the existing stations on the Red Line. The elevated stations have an area ranging from 8,100 to 8,800 square meters and the areas of the underground stations range from 27,000 to 28,700 square metres. The Expo station has an area of 18,800 square metres. The interior design of the metro stations reflect the four elements of nature: air, earth, fire and water and features futuristic elements.
The first of the new metro trains to be used on this route will arrive in Dubai in November. The first train will start operations in December. The RTA will start testing carriages in May 2019, and conduct test runs of trains in Feb 2020 to ensure the readiness of the train and control systems. The test runs will continue until the official opening of the project.