“We are completely focused on the Al Sufouh Tram project because it will serve hundreds of thousands of people living and working in the new Dubai areas,” a senior official at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said.
The first phase of the Al Sufouh Tram is expected to open in 2012 and the project is scheduled to be fully completed in 2014.
Construction started in late 2008, but progress was somewhat slow in the beginning due to the economic downturn and the delay in completion of development projects, according to reports in Gulf News.
Once completed, the tram will pass through Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai Media City, Knowledge Village, Madinat Jumeirah, Mall of the Emirates and the Burj Al Arab.
The Dubai Metro is driverless, but the Al Sufouh trams will have drivers since they will run on normal roads in the traffic.
The project extends 14km along Al Sufouh Road, with 9.5km to be constructed in the initial stage starting from the Dubai Marina to the Mall of the Emirates Station.
The tram network includes 19 passenger stations, nine of which will be constructed in phase one.
Each tram is 44m long and has a capacity of 300 passengers.
