Dubai An air-conditioned sky bridge connecting the Burj Khalifa Metro station to the Dubai Mall in Downtown Dubai will be ready by year-end, a top official told XPRESS.
Engineer Matha Bin Adai, CEO of the Traffic and Roads Agency of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said on Monday: “Emaar is currently constructing a link bridge that connects the Burj Khalifa Metro Station to the Dubai Mall. It will facilitate pedestrian movement.”
“The project is a design and build project by Dutco and is expected to be completed by the end of December,” he said.
The 820-metre walkway is expected to come as a huge relief to Metro passengers going into Downtown, especially during the summer months.
Unlike other major malls such as Mall of the Emirates and Deira City Centre, the Dubai Mall is currently not immediately accessible to Metro passengers. They have to take connecting buses or walk a good 10 minutes to reach the mall from the Burj Khalifa Metro Station.
The link will be open not just to Metro passengers but also to pedestrians with exit routes along its length and access stairs. It is expected to considerably reduce vehicular traffic in the area.
According to Emaar, the Dubai Mall Metro Link, as the bridge is called, will comprise five travelators in either direction with a central walkway.
Travelling at an average speed of half a metre per second from the Burj Khalifa Metro Station entrance, the travelators will pass through the Downtown Dubai development before entering Dubai Mall.
Further connections to Emaar Square, Boulevard Plaza and Emaar Boulevard have also been planned.
Once complete, the travelators are expected to carry more than 13,500 people per hour.
