Green Line stations up to 80% completed

Construction of stations on the Green Line has been 50 per cent to 80 per cent completed, according to the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) chairman.  

The project is running on schedule to meet the target opening and start of operation in the second half of 2010, said Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director, RTA. 

He recently undertook a tour to inspect the progress on the Green Line stations, which cover Al Qusais Depot, the Command and Control Centre, the multi-level park-and-ride facilities, Al Nahda station, Bani Yas station and Al Ras station. More than 70 per cent work has been completed in Al Qusais. The depot comprises a parking area capable of holding 60 trains at a time among other facilities such as workshops for carrying out maintenance works and dedicated workshops for washing and cleaning of train carriages. 

Al Tayer reviewed the progress in the multi-level park-and-ride facilities, which has a parking capacity of 2,350 vehicles.  

The building has been designed to provide ample space for feeder buses. 

It is also fitted with footbridges linking up with the opposite side of the road in order to provide easy and safe access to the Metro station, while providing all the standard safety measures for passenger movement in the building.  

He also visited the Al Nahdah station, an elevated station that has a capacity of about 1,100 passengers per hour in each direction. 

The station extends about 130 metres in length and 30 metres in width and has two entry points fitted with escalators and lifts.  

The station is about 50 per cent completed in terms of construction. Al Tayer urged workers to expedite the completion of electromechanical works and installation of escalators in the station. 

He also inspected the work at Bani Yas station – one of six underground stations on the Green Line. The station measures about 144 metres in length and has a width ranging from 22 metres to 53 metres with a capacity to handle about 8,000 passengers per hour. 

Construction works and interiors fit outs in the station have exceeded 80 per cent in terms of completion. 

Meanwhile, the construction at Al Ras Station has exceeded 50 per cent. 

It features heritage design illustrating the history and legacy of the UAE. 

The theme of the design revolves around using traditional architectural elements used in antique buildings, such as wind towers (Barajeel), latticeworks (mashrabia), alleyways (sukaik), internal arches and others. 

The aim is to complement the traditional souqs in the locality and make the stations look like a natural extension of the Heritage and Diving Village (in keeping with the antique and existing control towers in the area).  

Al Tayer asked contractors to ensure opening of all stations on time.