Construction work on all 19 of the stations still to open on the Dubai Metro’s Red Line have been completed, the emirate’s transport chief has announced.
Mattar Al Tayer, chairman of the board and executive director of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), added that the stations were on track for a phased opening in February 2010.
Al Tayer also said that electromechanical works in the stations ranged from 80 to 97 percent complete during an inspection visit to the Dubai Metro Command and Control Centre at Rashidiya.
Final touches are being made to the Emirates Towers metro Station in preparation for a technical trial run, the RTA added in a statement.
Al Tayer said he was delighted with the progress of work in various project locations and commended the “diligent and tireless efforts” being made by the workers to complete the project.
But he also called on the company carrying out the remaining works to do more in order to complete to complete the job and get of all of the stations opened as scheduled.
Last week it was reported that the number of Dubai Metro passengers in the first two months of operation was about 40 percent higher than pre-launch estimates.
Nearly three million passengers have used the Dubai Metro since the September 9 launch at an average of 57,000 trips per day, the RTA said.
It also revealed that new services for the elderly and students were to be launched in 2010, with free travel being one option for the elderly and reductions for students.
Last month, a YouGov survey revealed that 59 percent of Dubai residents had yet to ride the metro.
RTA expects passenger numbers on the Red Line to reach 100,000 per day once it is fully operational. The remaining 19 stations are due to open by February 2010 but the RTA has not yet decided whether to open them in phases or all at once.
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