Dubai: The foundations for the path of the Palm Jumeirah's Dh900-million monorail transit system will be completed this month, according to Palm developers Nakheel.
The 5.4km long transport system will run between the Gateway Station at the trunk of The Palm Jumeirah and the Atlantis Station on the crescent, calling at two intermediate stations on the way Trump Tower and Village Centre.
Arabian Forasol, a UAE/Swiss company, has been awarded two piling packages for the Trump Tower station on the trunk and the Atlantis station on the Palm's crescent.
Piling began on the crescent station this week and will start on the Gateway stop in September.
The monorail will initially carry up to 2,400 passengers per hour per direction in four separate trains, each made up of three cars. At full capacity, the figure will rise to a maximum of 6,000 people in nine vehicles.
The overall project is a collaboration between Nakheel and Marubeni Corp and features contributions from a consortium of Japanese companies.
A US company, Parsons Brinckerhoff, is functioning as the project manager. Mechanical and electrical systems and monorail vehicles are being engineered and manufactured by Japanese railway system manufacturer Hitachi Ltd, which has developed similar projects in Taiwan, China, Malaysia, and Iran.
The Marubeni Corporation is working with a civil and building work partner a joint venture between the Ohbayashi Corporation, and Oriental Construction to develop the monorail. Japanese construction company Ohbayashi has started work in Dubai on the Dubai Metro.
Shigeki Kuwahara, executive deputy president at Marubeni Corporation, said: "We are fully aware that for all visitors and travellers touring The Palm Jumeirah, the first impression on this island will be greatly affected by their trip on the monorail."
Hajime Tsujimoto, ambassador of Japan, said the project is helping to build relations between Japan and Dubai. "This transport system will play an important role in linking The Palm Jumeirah with the city and beyond and help attract tourists to the UAE."
Sub-monorails
Apart from the Dubai Light Rail project, there are sevensub-monorails planned, that will serve as a feeder to Dubai's main metro. These are:
- The Palm Jumeirah monorail
- Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) monorail
- The City of Arabia automated people mover (APM)
- The Dubai Waterfront monorail
- Burj Dubai monorail
- Palm Deira monorail
- Dubai Festival City monorail
