Heavy demand for retail outlets and ATM sites at Dubai metro stations

Dubai: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai have successfully tendered 92 per cent of the retail outlets and ATM sites at the stations on the Dubai Metro's Red and the Green Lines.

"The RTA has received bids that are higher by three times than the minimum bidding rates and shows investors' trust in the emirate's economy and investment growth," said Abdul Mohsen, Chief Executive Officer (CEP) of the RTA's Strategic and Corporate Governance. However, he did not give the bidding amount and the names of the outlets which won bids.

"The high interest of businesses and companies reflects the public's confidence in the metro and the positive impact that it will create in their daily lives," he said.

Mohsen said the tender process for the outlets at the metro stations in the last quarter of 2008 with over 500 tender purchasers for locations in the retail station outlets. There were six core trades that were tendered to the public namely, general retail and services, food and beverage takeaway, food and beverage with seating, convenience store, property showroom, bank counters and the ATM sites.

"RTA welcomes the successful bidders to come on board the Dubai Metro project. We look forward to a partnership with them in strengthening their brands and growing with them as we make our mark in history as the first urban rail system in this region," he said.

The successful companies will operate the retail shops across the 29 stations of the Red Line and 18 stations of the Green Line, providing service and convenience to the passengers using the metro, which will start operation on September 9 this year.

As the first batch of retail operators has been announced, RTA is currently working on the final phase of leasing with the limited units available for tender. Those interested to bid for the available outlets can collect documents from the RTA's customer service centre at its headquarters in Umm Rumool.