Watch: Dubai Metro Blue Line tunnels take shape beneath the city

Dubai: A giant tunnel boring machine (TBM) is carving the underground route for Dubai Metro's Blue Line, marking a major milestone in one of the emirate's biggest public transport projects. Named Al Wugeisha, the 2,000-tonne machine is working up to 35 metres beneath International City, excavating soil while simultaneously installing concrete tunnel segments behind it.

Since tunnelling began in May, the TBM has completed around 1.2 kilometres, advancing between 13 and 17 metres a day, with peak progress reaching 30 metres daily. The Blue Line will span 30 kilometres and include 14 stations, five of them underground, linking key residential and commercial areas across Dubai. Scheduled to open in 2029, the new line will further strengthen the city's expanding metro network, improve connectivity, ease road congestion and support Dubai's long-term vision for sustainable and efficient urban mobility.