Dubai's Green Line lifts 106,000 passengers

A total of 106,000 passengers used the Dubai Metro's new Green Line over the first two days of operation, the Rail Agency of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said on Monday. Rail system operators believe the numbers will rise to about 100,000 passengers daily over the remainder of 2011, driven by the heavily populated areas it serves. A total of 84.2 million passengers have used the Dubai Metro system since it began operations in September 2009, the RTA said previously. Dubai Metro’s second line, which adds a further 18 stations and 23km to the existing rail network, was officially launched by Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Friday.The new line allows commuters to switch between the Metro’s Green and Red Line at Union and Khalid bin Al Waleed stations. Fourteen trains will operate along the new line during peak hours, reducing to ten trains during off peak hours. The frequency will range from 6 to 8 minutes, it added. All of the Green Line stations will open to the public except Al Jadaf and Creek Stations, as the real estate developments they were intended to serve have yet to be completed. Adnan Al Hamadi, CEO of RTA Rail Agency, said the initial response to the Green Line "was a clear testament to the growing culture of public transport"."The success of the metro is a real success for the Dubai Emirate portraying it as the key city in public transport industry across the region, thus raises its profile in the global public transport map," added Al Hamadi.