Dubai: A major facelift of one of Dubai’s natural jewels a 14-kilometre stretch of natural Jumeirah beachfront — has transformed the popular gathering place into a haven for anyone wanting a getaway.
And officials overseeing the mega project say the transformation is almost complete in time for cooler weather rolling in later this year.
A place where fresh breezes offer a respite from the desert heat and where waves beckon the adventurous, all major work on phase two of the Jumeirah Corniche project has been completed and the 14-km-long Corniche will be fully open to the public by October, Gulf News can confirm.
Phase One of the project – a 2-km-long stretch from Dubai Sailing Club to Dubai Municipality’s Umm Suqeim Centre – opened last month.
Work on the Dh100 million project began last year and is scheduled to be complete by October.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minster of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the project to make it a hub of healthy lifestyle in the emirate.
With facilities like jogging, walking, swimming, rowing and cycling, the Corniche will be a major draw for families as well as outdoor enthusiasts.
The stretch from Burj Al Arab Hotel to Jumeirah Mosque currently houses several open beaches.
However, most of these beaches lacked basic facilities like showers, toilets and changing rooms.
Being undertaken by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), the work will ensure that the entire stretch of the sandy beach will have all the basic amenities apart from having a five-metre-wide walkway, a four-metre-wide jogging track and a cycling track extending the entire length of the Corniche.
“I can’t wait for the work to be complete and have a dip in the sea. RTA has done a great job in transforming the beach into a world-class facility. It’s good to see that the open beaches, which are used by common people, get the kind of attention it deserved,” said Gulam Hussain, an Iranian who lives in one of the villas overlooking the beach.
The Corniche will also have commercial kiosks, shaded benches, rest houses as well as public health facilities.
Most facilities such as the jogging and cycling tracks, the benches as well as showers are ready, while work on landscaping and decorating the area is currently under way.
“I like the work they have done with developing the beaches. To go with the facilities I would suggest they allow vendors to set up food kiosks that would sell freshly cooked food items along with fruits, like most beaches around the world have. I think this will be an added attraction as well as helping people take care of their needs,” said Musa Mushir, another Jumeirah resident.
