UAE | Crime
Special police force for Dubai Metro
A special force dedicated to the safety of the Dubai Metro will be formed by the Dubai Police, said a senior official of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
- By Ashfaq Ahmad, Chief Reporter
- Published: 23:11 March 8, 2009
- Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
- The Metro's red line is due to start operation this September.
Dubai: A special force dedicated to the safety of the Dubai Metro will be formed by the Dubai Police, said a senior official of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
"A dedicated police unit, which may be called the Transport Police, is being established with the coordination of Dubai Police to protect commuters and the Metro system," said Ramadan Abdullah Mohammad, Director of Rail Operations of RTA.
He told Gulf News that the transport police would be in addition to the security guards being employed by the RTA to handle routine security duties at the metro stations and on the trains.
The RTA is carrying out the Dh15.5 billion, 74.6km driverless Metro project consisting of the two lines - The Red and the Green. The Red Line is scheduled to become operational on September 9 and the Green Line will be opened to the public in March next year.
Mohammad said the RTA was preparing a code of conduct for Metro users.
"There will be legislation to protect the Metro stations and the trains.
"Fines and penalties will also be announced later against those responsible for damaging the trains, stations and putting lives of passengers in danger. We will ensure safe journeys for everyone.
"Vandalism will not be tolerated and the offenders will be taken to task," he said.
He said the whole Metro system would be monitored by cameras round the clock.
"There will be at least 10 cameras to monitor security in every train. Every station, pedestrian crossing, train tracks and tunnels will be monitored by cameras," he added.
The RTA will monitor the Metro operations, although the contract for the operations and maintenance of the Metro has been awarded for 10 years to Serco Middle East, a UK-based company which is running operations for Docklands Light Railway, Manchester Metro, Northern Rail, and the Mersey Rail in the UK, Great Southern Railway in Australia and the Copenhagen Metro in Denmark.
He said that a comprehensive evacuation plan would be in place for emergencies.
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