Taking stations to a whole other level

Dubai: Although people can see work progressing on the elevated stretch of the Red Line on Shaikh Zayed Road, they have no idea what lies beneath: a whole new city.

Work on the four underground stations on the Red Line has been completed, and construction of the stations on the elevated stretch has also started. Motorists can see a shell-shaped station coming up fast near Jebel Ali Industrial area on Shaikh Zayed Road. This is the first station to be ready for the trial run.

Construction of the six underground stations on the Green Line has also started. Work will continue into 2009 but all stations on the Red Line will be completed before the planned opening on September 9, 2009.

There will be 47 stations, including two transfer stations situated underground - one at Union Square in Deira, which is the largest in terms of size and the BurJuman Station in Bur Dubai, which is the deepest at 30 metres below ground level.

At the transfer stations, the Red and Green lines will meet and passengers will be able to transfer between trains.

The station interiors are unique designs following the themes of the four elements of nature: Water, Air, Fire and Earth.

The exteriors of the elevated stations have a shell-shaped roof which invokes the heritage of pearl diving - an integral part of Dubai's history.

Public safety and security, clear and simple planning with minimal travel distances are the objectives of all stations.

Type I Elevated Station: 3 levels

• Concourse at ground level
• Mezzanine consisting of mechanical rooms
• Two side platforms on level 3
• Average size: 1,800 square metres

Type II Elevated Station: 2 levels

• Concourse above ground at level 2
• Two side Platforms on level 3
• Size 1,600 square metres

Type III Elevated Station: 3 levels

• Concourse at ground level
• Mezzanine consisting of mechanical rooms
• Two side platforms on level 3 and one extra line for parking and repair of trains
• Average size 1,900 square metres
• Brightly lit concourses and walkways covered with slip-resistant reconstituted stones according to the design theme.
• Escalators and stairs to get from the concourse to the platform level
• Lifts for those with special needs
• Ramps for the wheelchair-bound
• Clear direction signs to various areas of the station
• Public announcement system (PA)
• A tactile guidance path for the visually-challenged
• Modern ticket vending machines that dispense single/return trip tickets
• Parking areas for drive and ride passengers
• Ticketing gates that have provisions for normal, disabled and persons with large luggage
• CCTV cameras to monitor strategic areas of the station
• Platform doors that prevent passengers from falling off the platform
• Emergency call points for passengers to contact station personnel
• Fully air conditioned concourse and platform areas
• Seating areas to use while waiting for trains
• Specialised lighting creates a soothing ambience
• Ticket agent offices
• Space for small retail and vendor kiosks for drinks and amenities
• Fully air-conditioned concourses at the ground level entrance pods with seating to wait for buses
• Dedicated taxi lay-bys for taxis for pickup and drop off
• Bicycle lanes and racks for temporary storage
• Provisions to interchange with future metro lines and the Al Sufouh Tram
• All elevated stations have pedestrian bridges to cross roads while the underground stations have pedestrian underpasses.

High and low: Types of stations

There are three types of station. A typical station whether elevated, at ground or underground, has three levels, although some only have two. The two interchange stations, at Union Square in Deira and BurJuman in Bur Dubai, have four levels.