Those of us who use the Dubai Metro regularly can scarcely imagine a Dubai without this form of public transport which efficiently links various parts of the city with each other. Did you know that this was a project that many scoffed at; a project that almost did not happen? Here are some interesting facts about the Dubai Metro on its 10th anniversary.
Ten years ago, on 9th September 2010, Dubai saw its first metro ride being flagged off: the first section of the Red Line, covering 10 stations was inaugurated on the day. In the first year, it was used for nearly 7 million rides. That number has grown about 600% to almost 40 million rides since then. In 2017, it reached the one billion mark and has now reached the 1.5 billion rider mark.
When the idea of creating a metro network in Dubai was first mooted, many disapproved. Those who think of Dubai as a luxury destination with fancy cars sneered at the very idea. According to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, some members of the Executive Council rejected the idea.
It is not possible or affordable for everyone to own or use a car each day. For as many as six hundred thousand people every day, the metro’s red and green lines are literally a lifeline.
According to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, the Dubai Metro had been a dream of his boyhood when he had visited the London Metro with his father. When the Dubai Metro finally came to fruition, it was the completion of a long-held desire to create world-class infrastructure and a safe and sustainable transportation system for the people of the UAE.
The Dubai Metro is the Arabian Peninsula’s first urban train network and the world's largest network of automated driverless transportation. The driverless cars, platform edge doors, 45 metro stations, depots and operational control centres make this possible.
Stories such as the friendship of Indian expats Anandita and Sayani is not an unusual one. Theirs is a friendship that owes itself to the daily metro rides. As the Dubai Metro celebrates 10 years, these two friends, both from Kolkata, also mark ten years of their friendship. When Anandita heard Sayani speak Bangla on the phone, the two got talking and this was the beginning of a decade long friendship.
This video details some of the amazing facts about the Dubai metro. By the year 2020, the metro system will see seven new stations along a new 15 km route that ends in the Expo 2020 site. Further in the future, the Purple, Blue, Pink and Gold lines will also be added, with more additions planned for the existing Red and Green lines as well.
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