As the man charged with developing Dubai’s transportation network, it’s no exaggeration to say Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer holds the emirate’s future in his hands.
But with the $4.2bn Dubai Metro coming online this September, the Roads and Transport Association (RTA) is well on track towards giving residents an alternative to travelling round the emirate by car.
The 52.1km red line from Rashidiya to Jebel Ali is expected to open this year. By Mar 21, 2010 the 23.9km green line running around Dubai creek from Al Qusais to Jedaff should also be up and running.
Elsewhere, the RTA is planning to develop tram systems on the Palm and around Dubai Marina, increase the bus network and introduce more land and water taxis. With several years’ experience, Al Tayer is considered the right person to oversee the changes.
He joined Dubai Municipality in 1983 as a trainee engineer and was promoted to assistant head of roads in 1984, before taking charge of the department two years later.
In 1988, he became director of the roads department and held the post until 1994. He was then appointed assistant director general for roads and general projects affairs before taking overall charge of the RTA in 2005.
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