RELATED ARTICLES: RTA will fast track $1.3bn expansion of Red Line if Dubai hosts World Expo 2020 | Rail link to Dubai under tender | Dubai Metro set for massive expansion Dubai Metro is expected to undergo a massive expansion plan on both the Red and Green Lines, the Road and Transport Authority has announced, adding that work is expected to begin as early as next year. According to a Gulf News report, the RTA has finalised plans to extend the Red Line of the Metro from Rashidiya to Mirdif. It had earlier announced that the Green Line would run from Al Jaddaf to Academic City. Both extensions are expected to be operational before 2020. “As per the approved rail master plan, there are two projects that are required to be ready before 2020, the Green Line extension from Creek Station in Al Jaddaf to Academic City and the Red Line extension from Rashidiya Metro station to Mirdif,” said Abdullah Yousuf Al Ali, acting CEO of the RTA’s Rail Agency, in an exclusive interview with Gulf News. While the coverage area for both routes have been agreed upon, the exact details have yet to be finalised, with the routes and number of stations to be planned next year, when design work on the projects are set to begin. “The RTA is conducting more studies on the proposed extensions and the actual date to start work on the projects next year will be decided once the studies are complete. Irrespective of the start date, the projects will be in operation by 2020,” Abdullah Yousuf Al Ali added. The extension of the Metro lines come as demand for public transportation services continues to increase. The plan also keeps in mind the growing population of the emirate, which is expected to cross the three million mark by 2020. The Red Line is expected to add 12 kilometres of track extension, while the Green Line is expected to have a further 24 kilometres added to it. While the Red Line will serve communities such as Shurooq and Ghuroob in Mirdif, the Green Line is expected to over mass transit connectivity to large residential and industrial clusters as it passes through the Ras Al Khor Industrial Area and the heavily populated International City. The RTA master plan includes a rail network extension of up to 400 kilometres, which is scheduled to be completed by 2030, when the population of the emirate is expected to hit six million. It also involves the construction of at least four new lines, the report said.
RTA plans massive expansion for Dubai Metro lines
