Dubai: Plans to build a third track called the Blue Line to expand the Dubai Metro system have been finalised, confirmed a senior official.

"The project for the Blue Line will enter the design stage in August this year while its construction will be complete by 2011 a year after the completion of work for the Red and the Green Lines of the Dubai Metro," said Abdul Majeed Khaja, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Metro at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

According to initial studies, the Blue Line will be around 47km long and will also provide a shuttle service between Dubai International Airport and the new airport being built at Jebel Ali.

Khaja told Gulf News the Blue Line will also serve communities being developed on the Emirates Road.

"We have started meetings with major developers to specify their needs, especially to chalk out locations for stations for the Blue Line," he said.

The Blue Line will also be connected with the Red Line at Rashidiya and with the Green Line in Al Nahda.

Khaja said the Emirates Road developers will run an internal light railway or tram system, which will be linked with the Blue Line stations.

"We need to have a transport system in the new communities to transport passengers to and from metro stations," he said.

He said the developers were ready to have an internal public transport system in new communities, which the RTA was ready to build and run.

Khaja said the Metro is designed to achieve an integrated transportation solution, taking into consideration other modes of transport including buses, taxis and abras (water taxi).

"The aim of transport integration is to complement these other modes of transport and incorporate strategic bus/boat feeder points with flexible and user-friendly metro interchange stations."

The RTA will provide parking spaces to shopkeepers affected by the metro underground station construction on Al Rigga Road. Construction of an underground station at Al Rigga Street has blocked parking spaces at a stretch of about 300 metres on both sides of the street.

Abdul Majeed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Metro said the RTA had already opened a call centre to inform residents about construction work, traffic diversions and to receive any complaints and suggestions.

Residents can call 8009090.