October 14, 2008

Work on Dubai Metro main power station completed

Dubai Roads & Transport Authority has announced that the main power station for Dubai Metro has been completed and the Jebel Ali depot work is 55% finished.

Mr Mattar Al Tayer chairman & executive director of RTA, after a visit to a number of sites including the depot, an inclined section of the Red Line near Jebel Ali Free Zone and an elevated station at Jebel Ali Industrial Area, said that Work on the project is progressing rapidly.

Mr Al Tayer reviewed progress on the construction of the Red Line at the gradient near the Free Zone where technical trials will be conducted over a 4 kilometer test track. He added that “The trial run is crucial to ascertain the operational readiness of the trains and ensure functionality of all control systems under various conditions.”

Mr Al Tayer also inspected the Metro station at Jebel Ali Industrial Area. He was briefed by Engineer Mr Abdul Majeed Al Khaja on the progress of work on the station, which is 33% complete.

It is expected that 62 trains, each consisting of 5 carriages and capable of carrying 645 passengers, will have been delivered by the time the Red and Green Lines start operating. The depot contains a rail operation control centre that will ensure the safety of doors, brakes and motors and has facilities for servicing air conditioners and other systems. It also includes maintenance workshops and train washing and cleaning bays.

Stations are being built in an oval shape and the roofs have been designed to resemble large seashells, symbolizing the UAE’s fishing and pearl diving traditions. The power station covers an area of 3,659 square meters and has an output of 80 to 100 megavolt amperes.