Al Safouh Tramway 43% complete

Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), has announced that the Al Safouh Tramway project completion rate has reached 43 per cent. Al Tayer added that the completion rate has hit 95 per cent in the design of the transit systems, 62 per cent in the design of civil works, and 50 per cent in utility lines diversion works. This leaves the overall project 43 per cent complete. Al Tayer made these remarks during a site visit to inspect the progress of the project. He was accompanied by Adnan Al Hammadi, CEO of the Rail Agency, and several directors and engineers. Al Tayer inspected the work process in various parts of the project, particularly the elevated track and the utility lines diversion points. Al Hammadi briefed Al Tayer about the completion rates in various components of the project, which stretches 14.7km alongside Al Safouh Road. The initial phase envisages the construction of a 10.7km-long track starting from Dubai Marina and stretching up to the Mall of the Emirates Station. The tram network comprises 19 passenger stations, 13 of which are covered under Phase I and spread across activity and population density areas along the tram route. The tram fleet comprises eight trams in the initial phase, and 17 trams will be added in Phase II such that the total number of operating trams will be 25 trams. The tram is expected to lift about 5,000 passengers per hour per direction, and each tram measures 44 meters in length and has a capacity to accommodate about 300 passengers. The tram has a First Class (Gold Suite) and one cabin designated for ladies and children as well as a Silver Class car. Highlighting the tram project Al Hammadi said: “Work in the project, which is being constructed by Alstom-Besix Consortium, is progressing according to the approved schedule, and the initial phase of the project is set for completion in the first half of 2014. The tram track basically extends at grade level along Al Sufouh Road but rises in an elevated section across certain areas of Dubai Marina for reasons dictated by urban structures of the locality. It links up with the metro system in three stations along Shaikh Zayed Road via footbridges to ease the transit and exchange of passengers between the two modes. Al Sufouh Tram will also be linked with the Monorail of The Palm Jumeirah at the entrance of the Palm from Al Sufouh Road to facilitate passenger traffic between districts served by both projects.” From Khaleejtimes