Dubai: Commuters in the UAE, particularly Dubai residents, will mark on Monday (September 9, 2019) the 10th anniversary of the launch of the Dubai Metro — one of the biggest projects that has facilitated the smooth movement of tens of thousands on a daily basis.
On the eve of the anniversary, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, recalled the moment when the dream for such a mass transit system was born. "I was 10 years old when I visited London in 1959 with my father who insisted to see a train's cockpit. 50 years later, Dubai Metro came true in 2009. Nothing is impossible if you can dream it," he tweeted.
Sheikh Mohammed was also quoted by news agency WAM as saying, "Dubai Metro is a key pillar of our infrastructure. It reflects the advancement of our plans to adopt solutions that make life easier for people. Our investments in this sector reflect our keenness to create the best solutions for easy and safe mobility for all."
His Highness expressed his appreciation for the achievements of Dubai Metro, saying it is a high quality addition to the transport infrastructure in Dubai, and a model for forward-looking projects that feature advanced technology. The project was the first of its kind in the Arab world and among the most advanced in the world. Our goal is to be at the forefront of the global future industry, he added.
His Highness further said, "The Metro's success in achieving the goals we launched 10 years ago embodies our forward-thinking decisions and awareness of the importance of adopting of innovative future-oriented solutions. In the beginning, some were unenthusiastic about the idea of creating Dubai Metro. We chose to implement the metro project because we realised the value it would add to society by providing safe and sustainable transportation."
"In the last ten years, our investments in the roads and transport sector have reached almost Dh100 billion, which have laid the foundations of a strong infrastructure. We are dedicated to raising the quality of our infrastructure and ensuring we are second to none," he continued.
Earlier, on September 8, Sheikh Mohammed had tweeted: “Tomorrow [Monday], we mark the 10th anniversary of launching one of the major projects in Dubai and the UAE, the Dubai Metro, which transported a billion-and-a-half people in 10 years.
"Back then, I consulted members of the Executive Council in Dubai whether they support the idea or not. Some rejected it, under the pretext of people's non-acceptance of the use of Metro."
“The punctuality of Dubai Metro's 2.5 million trips is 99.7 per cent. This is an indicator of civilization from which the rest of our institutions in the UAE as well as the Arab world can learn," Sheikh Mohammed tweeted.
99.7 %
Punctuality of Dubai Metro's 2.5 million trips in the last 10 years"I am proud of the RTA (Roads and Transport Authority), its chairman and staff. We are looking forward to a new phase of creativity and excellence to facilitate life in Dubai and raise its quality,” he wrote.
He added: “We have invested more than Dh100 billion in the past decade on roads and transportation, and our new vision for the future of mobility in Dubai is based on three principles. First: the use of technology; Second: the preservation of the environment; and Third: the establishment of long-term investment partnerships," he said.
"Today, we are doing our best to move from the second globally to the first in the quality of roads and transport”.
On the occasion, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, also posted on Twitter. He wrote: "Tomorrow we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Dubai Metro, a success story that has transported 1.5 billion passengers with a punctuality rate of 99.7%." he credited Sheikh Mohammed for the transit system's success.
