Apr 26 2024
RTA unveils shiny Expo metro line: ‘Route 2020’
Sun 20 Dec 2020
Route 2020, the extension of the Dubai Metro line from Jabal Ali Station to Expo 2020 station, is set to run from the first day of the new year.
“The initial operation phase would cover four stations, namely: Jebel Ali, The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, and Al Furjan Stations, and the other remaining three stations would be opened later on,” said His Excellency Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
“RTA celebrates the New Year by starting the operation of Route 2020, which serves densely populated districts inhabited by 270k persons such as The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, Al Furjan, Jumeirah Golf Real Estates, and the Dubai Investment Park as well as the site of Dubai Expo. The selection of stations for operation on the first of January was based on several perimeters namely the density of population nearby the station, anticipated number of riders, commercial activities in the area served by the stations, and the link with other public transit means at each station.
The opening comes after successful completion of several trials to test the system’s reliability and readiness before being accessed by the masses.
Timings:
The first journey on Route 2020 will start from Jabal Ali Station to Al Furjan Station and in the opposite direction.
Journeys will begin early at 05:00 am and end sharp at midnight from Saturday to Wednesday.
On Thursdays, the first journey will start at 05:00 am, and the last ride will run till 01:00 am, heading into Friday, where the first journey will start at 10:00 am. Fridays will also see the route run till till 01:00 am.
The journey between Jabal Ali and Al Furjan stations should take about six minutes.
“The route can serve 4,176 riders per hour per direction,” noted Al Tayer.
“19 buses on four routes will serve Route 2020 stations to ease the mobility of riders from and to each station,” he added.
Two of these routes will call at The Gardens Station, and the other two at Al Furjan Station.
Stations:
- Jabal Ali Station
All the four operating stations are elevated. The first is the Jabal Ali Station, an interchange station with the Red Line, that can serve 17000 riders per hour during peak times and 320,000 riders per day.
The station has four rail boarding platforms, four bus stands, 17 taxi stands and seven parking slots for people of determination.
It also offers eight outlets of 388 square metres for commercial investment.
- Gardens Station
The Gardens station can serve 6770 riders per hour during peak times and 125,000 riders per day.
It has two rail boarding platforms, four bus stands, 20 taxi stands and two parking slots for people of determination.
It also offers five outlets of 161 square metres for commercial investment.
- Discovery Gardens
The third is the Discovery Gardens and it can serve up to 6770 riders per hour during peak times and 125,000 riders per day.
The station has two rail boarding platforms, four bus stands, 20 taxi stands and two parking slots for people of determination.
It also offers four outlets of 149 square metres for commercial investment.
- Al Furjan Station
The fourth and final – Al Furjan station – can serve 6770 riders per hour during peak times and 125,000 riders per day.
The station has two rail boarding platforms, four bus stands, 20 taxi stands and two parking slots for people of determination.
It offers four outlets of 149 square metres for commercial investment.
Route 2020 has a capacity of some 23,000 per hour per direction – that’s 46,000 travellers as a whole.
RTA anticipates the number of riders to scale by 125,000 riders per day in 2021, and increase to 275,000 riders per day by 2030.
Analysis also reveals that Expo Station is expected to serve about 35,000 daily visitors of Expo during weekdays, and the number to increase to 47,000 daily visitors during weekends.
[Sourced from Agencies]
