Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and Industry and Chairman of Dubai Municipality, has issued a decree forming the Higher Committee for Supervising the Dubai Train project.
The committee is chaired by Qassim Sultan, Director General of Dubai Municipality, and consists of six members who represent local government departments and the UAE University.
The panel is entrusted with formulating necessary strategies, plans and programmes for regulating and enhancing mass transit in Dubai.
The committee's members are: Eng Abdullah Al Sayed Mohammed Al Hashmi, Eng Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer (both from Dubai Municipality), Saeed Mohammed Al Sharid (Dubai Transport Corp), Major General Sharafuddin Al Sayed Mohammed Hussein (Dubai Police), Eng Nasser Ahmed Saeed (Dubai Municipality), and Dr Khalifa Mohammed Hareb (UAE University).
The panel is also tasked with studying the existing laws governing mass transit in the emirate and suggesting appropriate amendments, if any, in order to ensure accomplishment of the project's objectives.
This includes implementation of the project, preparing budgets, specifying designs, plans and technical specifications, tendering, and inviting reputed companies to submit their quotations for the same, studying them and picking up the most suitable offer.
The higher committee will also undertake full administrative, financial and technical supervision of the project's various phases.
Eng Nasser Ahmed Saeed has been named as general coordinator for the Dubai Train project.As per the decree, the committee can form action teams and temporary sub-committees to execute certain tasks it is entrusted with.
The mass transport railway system for Dubai took a step nearer to reality yesterday when officials revealed more details about the ambitious plan aimed and curing the city's traffic ills.
The project has been on the agenda for the past few years, but civic chiefs say they are now focusing more attention on plans for the mass transit system because widening roads is not considered an effective solution to increased traffic volumes.
Senior sources say the municipality is finalising a Dh46.5 million consultancy study for the "Light Rail Train" or LRT project.
The practical work and construction are expected to start as early as next year under the supervision of a committee chaired by Qassim Sultan.
Sultan said that the train project will be the latest in a large number of light transit systems in prominent cities all over the world.
In a previous interview Sultan made assurances that the train would be noise-free, and will be environmentally friendly because it is electric.
"It will add a wonderful atmosphere to Dubai and the most important thing about it is that it will travel automatically without an operator on board," a municipality source said. "The lightweight train will be of a streamlined design and will feature some changes that we are likely to demand."
Last year the municipality estimated the total cost of the project at Dh2.68 billion. Construction is expected to start next year and the completion time could be between four and six years.
An earlier study indicated that the Light Rail Train should have two lines. The first one, called the Red Line, will stretch from the Sharjah border to Jebel Ali. The second, the Green Line, will stretch from Dubai International Airport to Al Ghubaiba.
The main station will be in Al Ittihad Square in Bur Dubai. Each kilometre of the elevated system will cost Dh100 million, but this will be less in the case of subway or ground level stretch of track.
Engineers expect that the network would operate with a maintenance budget of just over Dh 50 million per year. The fare will be Dh 2.75 per person, which will cover the maintenance cost but not the capital expense.
The estimated usage at peak hours is 27,499 passengers and the average daily will be 274,990. Annually, there will be 88 million riders. The annual capital cost is projected to be Dh 220.25 million.
The municipality has chosen the Rail Rapid Transit System as a strategic alternative, relying on a comprehensive study of passenger numbers increasing over the next 20 years.
The study shows that in these years the number of vehicles will increase to three times the present number. It also estimates that benefits of the project outweigh the costs - especially because Dubai's population is expected to reach three million in 2020.
The number of vehicles is expected to have increased from 5,000 in 1991 to 350,000 in 2020.
The study backs up the use of a light transit system by pointing to the volume of passengers in each mode of transport. The passenger capacity in cars per lane, per hour ranges between 2,000 and 6,000. For buses it is 10,000. But for rail transport, it is at least 20,000.
The advantages and provisional plan* The electric rains would be noise-free and environmentally friendly.
* The project is expected to increase mobility and save about Dh425 million for the residents in lost travel time.
* Travel on the air-conditioned trains will cost less than using a motor vehicle.
* It would also reduce accidents and pollution, as well as energy savings.
* Provisional plans for the network show 10 stations around the emirate.
* The first phase of the project will stretch from Dubai International Airport to Jebel Ali.
* Some parts of the project will go underground and others will be carried over the ground and some will be hanging down or "pendant".
* Construction is expected to start next year and the completion time could be between four and six years.
* An earlier study indicated two lines the Red Line, which will stretch from the Sharjah border to Jebel Ali, and the Green Line that stretches from Dubai International Airport to Al Ghubaiba.
* The main station will be in Al Ittihad Square in Bur Dubai. Each kilometre of the elevated system will cost Dh100 million, but this will be less in the case of subway or ground level stretch of track.
* Engineers expect that the network would operate with a maintenance budget of just over Dh50 million per year. The fare will be Dh2.75 per person, which will cover the maintenance cost but not the capital expense.
* The estimated usage at peak hours is 27,499 passengers and the average daily will be 274,990. Annually, there will be 88 million passengers. The annual capital cost is projected to be Dh220.25 million.
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