Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has briefed a visiting delegation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia about RTA’s asset management models and practices. The visit was coordinated with the Ministry of Infrastructure Development together with entities concerned with roads and transport in the UAE.
The briefing covered the planning for asset procurement, numbering, monitoring performance, stocktaking and replacement. Discussions also touched on the structure of RTA’s Asset Management Department and procedures adopted to keep up with the highest global standards.
Attendees of the gathering, which took place at RTA’s Head Office, included Eng. Waleed Al Dergham, Director General of Survey and Evaluation at the Ministry of Transport; Mr. Turner Derek Citizen, Advisor for Roads Operation and Maintenance to the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Saudi Arabia, and other members. From RTA attended Saeed Al Ramsi, Director of Asset, Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector, and several RTA’s Asset Department staff. Also attending the gathering were a number of employees from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Sharjah’s Roads and Transport Authority.
At the start of the gathering, Al Ramsi welcomed the visiting Saudi delegation and expressed RTA’s keenness to cooperate with public and private entities in the UAE and beyond. He stressed on the importance of knowledge transfer and sharing expertise in various fields including asset management; which would also raise the global profile Dubai as a leading cosmopolitan city.
Reflecting on the meeting, Al Ramsi said, “We gave a full introduction about RTA’s asset management model and process along with a roadmap up to 2021. Our teams are endeavouring to improve the performance and deliver on the tasks entrusted to us to achieve asset sustainability. RTA has huge and diverse assets such as roads, bridges, tunnels, metro, buses, taxis, marine transit means among others. We also briefed the delegation on our plans for maintaining and protecting such assets.”
A presentation was made explaining RTA’s organisational chart, strategic plan, goals and objectives along with initiatives relating to asset management in addition to the structure and roles and responsibilities of the Department. The presentation also covered the lifecycle of the asset, future objectives of asset sustainability, and procedures of buying and scraping of assets.
At the end of the gathering, the Saudi delegation praised the communication with RTA and availing the chance to examine the role of the Department. They also commended RTA’s efforts to attract experts and communicate with various local and international entities for the betterment of Dubai and the UAE at large.
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