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Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is celebrating (Monday) September 9th, 2019, the 10th anniversary of Dubai Metro, which had been inaugurated on 09/09/2009. The first decade of the metro operation has been marked by fabulous successes reflected by full compliance with the top global safety standards, and operational efficiency depicted by on-time journeys. The success indicators are also underscored by the massive number of total riders lifted since the launch of the service whose number exceeded 1.5 billion riders by the end of 2019 August.
At 09:09:09 pm on Wednesday 09.09.2009, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, opened the Red Line of Dubai Metro spanning 52 km and comprising of 29 stations (4 underground, 24 elevated, and 1 at-grade). Exactly two years later, on 09.09.2011, HH opened the Green Line of Dubai Metro, extending 23 km and comprising of 18 stations (6 underground, and 12 elevated). The two lines intersect at the Union and Burjuman stations.
“Dubai Metro is a brainchild of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. It compliments a shrewd vision of HH for a world-class infrastructure capable of thrusting the standing of Dubai as a global hub for finance and business,” said HE Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA.
“The concept is driven by a firm belief of HH in the vitality of metro systems for the sort of urban development envisioned for the Emirate. HH projected the metro system as the backbone of a transit system that connects hotspots in the Emirate, providing safe and smooth mobility for all. To match that supreme vision, HH directed to construct metro facilities par excellence.
Stand out Project
“The huge successes of Dubai Metro have gone far and wide beyond the realms of the Emirate. The metro has embellished the global profile of Dubai as a splendid metropolis, business hub, and a destination for a fancy living environment. The metro is a gorgeous addition to Dubai’s iconic landmarks and uses state-of-the-art technology of the rail industry. Furthermore, it has carved a niche for itself as the world’s longest driverless metro network,” commented Al Tayer.
Ridership on the go
RTA Chairman was impressed by the growing metro ridership; which reveals that RTA’s plan for increasing the share of public transport riders is going in the right direction. “The growing number of metro users reflects the evolution in the culture of using mass transport means in the community. People started to grasp the benefits of using public transport such as the peace of mind, physical relief, smooth mobility and reduced outlay on fuel and maintenance of vehicles,” he noted.
“From the start of operations on 09.09.2009 until the end of August this year, Dubai Metro lifted about 1.5 billion riders. The number of metro riders soared from about 39 m riders in 2010 to as much as 69 m riders in the following year. With the launch of the Green Line of Dubai Metro in Sept 2011, the metro riders rocketed to 109 m riders in 2012. The ridership continued to hit new heights and in 2015 it reached 179 m riders, and by the end of 2018 it broke the two-hundred-million barrier; clocking 204 million riders. Currently, Dubai Metro serves about 650 thousand commuters daily; a record that significantly surpasses the number forecasted in studies commissioned at the design phase of the project,” confirmed Al Tayer.
Benefits
“The successful operation of Dubai Metro franks RTA’s strategic objective of raising the share of public transport in the total number of mobility journeys to 26% by 2030. Public transport share started to make incremental growth starting from 6% in 2006 till reaching 17.5% in 2018, recording a cumulative growth rate of about 9.3% per annum.
“The massive investments of Dubai Government in the public transport infrastructure proved a hit. It supported the flourishing development witnessed by the Emirate and provided a stimulant for business and tourism. Public transport contributed to the safe and smooth mobility, improved business climate and enhanced the competitive edge of Dubai in hosting mega-events, Expo 2020 is an example. The indirect benefits of public transport include conserving the environment, and cutting financial losses of traffic bottlenecks through deflecting the demand from private vehicles to public transit means,” he added.
Credit
Al Tayer didn’t let the occasion go without commending the efforts of RTA’s strategic partners and their contribution to the successful operation of Dubai Metro. Above all comes Dubai Police (represented by the General Directorate of Transport Security), and Serco Company, the operator of the metro network. He also thanked commuters who made the metro their ideal mobility choice and praised their compliance with the rules governing the metro operation and facilities. It is noteworthy that throughout the past ten years, no single act of vandalism of the metro facilities had been reported. Al Tayer also thanked RTA employees, especially Rail Agency staffs, for their tireless efforts in overseeing the metro service.
81 Million km
Performance indicators of the Dubai Metro over the past decade reveal very high operational standards. The on-time departures of the metro service clocked 99.7%. From the start of operation till the end of August 2019, the metro completed 2.348 million journeys and covered about 81.133 million km.
Through the metro service, RTA aims to improve the mobility within Dubai, especially in tourist areas and business districts. It also seeks to enhance the integration of mass transit modes in the Emirate, provide a safe and smooth transit alternative, reduce carbon emissions and improve the living experience of people.
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