Dubai Metro Green Line to be completed by 2010?

Whilst the Dubai Metro has been viewed as a success in many circles, the economic downturn and construction delays saw several lines not finished on time - namely, the Green Line.

Speaking to Zawaya, Abdul Majid Abdul Razzaq Al Khaja, the CEO of Rail Agency Dubai RTA said that the completion of the line may not be until the fourth quarter of next year. Many have puts this down to the contractors' struggling to finance the final stage of the transport scheme.

"We are currently discussing with the contractor... chances are that it will be opened by the end of 2010 based on contractors' requirement," he told reporters on the sidelines of Dubai Press Club Ramadan gathering on Tuesday evening.

The opening of the Green Line has previously been reported as occurring in June by Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of RTA, but this in turn was a three month delay from a previous date of March 10 citing additional works.

Originally, the line was scheduled to be 17km, however this was later increased to 23.9km. Work delays were further compounded when the line was announced to be another 11km longer, extending from Al Jaddaf to International City.

These new extensions to the line are expected to be finished by 2014 with the line running from the Dubai Airport Free Zone to Dubai Healthcare City.

The Green Line is not the only Metro line project currently being changed and updated. The fourth line, the Purple Line, is also being extended at a cost of Dh10 billion (US $2.7 billion) in order to provide a direct link between Dubai International Airport and Jebel Ali Airport.

Construction is expected to start in 2010 and completion was expected in Q4 2013, should the bidding process set for the fourth quarter this year proceed without any delays. It has already been pushed back from last year.

One can only hope the trains on the Metro are not as delayed as the planning...

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