- City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
- Dubai 04:26 05:44 12:20 15:47 18:50 20:08
A trial run on the Red Line. The RTA is expected to re-evaluate the Purple Line project. (EB FILE)
The opening of Dubai Metro's Green Line is likely to be delayed to the fourth quarter of next year as contractors struggle to finish the project on a tight deadline.
According to Abdul Majid Abdul Razzaq Al Khaja, CEO, Rail Agency, Dubai RTA, the completion of Green Line may be pushed back to the "end of next year" due to contractors' requests.
"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.
On August 30, Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of RTA, said the Green Line will be opened in June next year, a three months delay from the earlier announced date of March 10 due to additional works.
The line originally slated at 17km was increased by 7km to 23.9km.
The line will be further extended by 11km from Al Jaddaf to International City under the Green Line extension project.
Once completed in 2014, the Green Line initially planned from Dubai Airport Free Zone to Dubai Healthcare City will be about 34km long. This project is currently being designed by the Parsons International and Systra joint venture.
Meanwhile, plans for the Purple Line are also likely to be changed.
This 49km fourth line of the Dubai Metro Project, estimated at Dh10 billion, will provide a direct link between Dubai International Airport and Jebel Ali Airport.
"We have done some studies in the past, but after the global crisis, everything changed. Now we have to revisit our evaluation; we have to revisit the location of our stations; how far… it is still in a study stage," Al Khaja told Emirates Business.
Industry sources said the design of the Purple Line was ready in February this year.
The invitation to bid for the line's EPC contract is expected in Q4 2009 from the earlier expectation of Q3 2008.
This delay is due to the re-assessment of the Metro's route. Construction was expected to start in 2010 and completion was expected in Q4 2013.
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