Dubai: Dubai Metro, which is celebrating its seventh anniversary on Friday, has served more than 830 million riders since its start on September 9, 2009 up to the end of August, officials said.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said: “The positive indicators of the growing ridership of the Dubai Metro underscore the strategic dimension of the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.”
He added: “It also underlines the firm conviction of His Highness about the vitality of the metro in serving the needs of the urban upswing witnessed by the city. His Highness had envisioned the Metro as the backbone of a transportation system in Dubai that links various hotspots of the city, and offers a safe and smooth mobility around.”
The seventh anniversary of Dubai Metro’s launch concurs with the laying of the foundation stone of Route 2020 Project by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.
The Dubai Metro is set to be extended by another 15km to reach the site of the Expo 2020.
The project provides for extending the Red Line of Dubai Metro by 15km, from Nakheel Harbour & Tower Station to the site of Expo 2020.
The project is part of Dubai Plan 2021 for achieving sustainable growth and developing high-class infrastructure, he added.
“The RTA is moving ahead with its ambitious plans for upgrading mass transit means and stepping up their contribution to people’s mobility to as much as 30 per cent by 2030. The share of public transport in people’s journeys had touched 15 per cent by the end of 2015. Moreover, there is a remarkable evolution in the culture of people towards public transit means as people started to perceive the benefits of mass transport such as the peace of mind and physical convenience during mobility as well as reduced outlays in fuel and vehicle maintenance.”
Al Tayer praised the efforts of the RTA’s strategic partners, saying they were a catalyst to the successful operation of Dubai Metro. The RTA said foremost of these stakeholders is the General HQ of Dubai Police, represented by the General Department of Transport, and the metro operator Serco.
He also thanked the metro riders who made the metro their “ideal mobility choice” across Dubai, and paid tribute to their compliance with the rules and regulations governing the use of the metro, besides conserving the facilities of the project.
