Mass developments put pressure on infrastructure

Dubai: Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said on Wednesday the city's large-scale real estate developments are posing a challenge to developing an urban mass transit infrastructure.

Abdul Redha Abu Al Hassan, director of planning and development, said the "masterplan keeps changing" as new projects are announced.

He said the Dh350-billion Meraas Development and the Dh140-billion Nakheel Harbour and Tower project, unveiled earlier this month, will require a new look at the existing masterplan.

The Dubai Integrated Rail Transit Masterplan is studying the city's train transportation requirements until 2030, when the city's population is projected to reach seven million.

Al Hassan said the government plans to spend Dh100 billion on transport systems, which will include 318 kilometres of rail lines, by 2020. The urban rail plan includes Red, Green, Purple, Blue lines.

The 52-kilometre Red Line connects Al Rashidiya area to Jebel Ali running along Shaikh Zayed Road. It is scheduled to be operational on September 9 next year, while the Green Line extending from Al Qusais to the Al Jadaf area is scheduled to open in March 2010.

The tender for the Purple Line, which is now in the design stage, is expected to be out after next January. This line will run between Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport in Jebel Ali.

Dubai will also have several tramlines and loc-alised transport systems such as the Palm Jumeirah Monorail, Al Hassan said told reporters.

The first 14-kilomnetre Al Safouh tramline is now under construction.