Dh169b in 12 yrs: Savings Dubai made with roads

Abu Dhabi - Al Tayer noted that Sheikh Mohammed is keen on all projects being delivered on time and will do constant follow-ups.

The Dubai government has invested more than Dh100 billion in road and transport infrastructure, which has resulted in saving crucial time and fuel worth Dh169 billion between 2006 and 2018, a top official has said.
Speaking at the 26th World Road Congress in Abu Dhabi, Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), said that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, always stressed on having world-class infrastructure for a strong economy.
"The UAE has invested heavily in infrastructure as it is the main stimulator for the economy. The authority is overseeing projects worth Dh23 billion this year. We have a system of excellence in all our projects," he said in his keynote speech.
The investments and development of infrastructure led to improved transportation system in the UAE. "The share of public transport was six per cent in 2006 and increased to 17.5 per cent in 2018."
According to a study conducted by a British university, the benefit-cost ratio of Dubai Metro is expected to reach 2.5 by the end of 2020, and rise to 4.3 by the end of 2030.
'Out of the box' solutions
Al Tayer noted that Sheikh Mohammed is keen on all projects being delivered on time and will do constant follow-ups. He recollected the leader's regular visits during various phases of the Dubai Metro project, which was repeated during Dubai Tram, Dubai Water Canal, and the ongoing Route 2020 project for extending the Red Line of Dubai Metro to the site of Expo.
Al Tayer said it was 'out of the box' thinking in crunch situations and risk management which led to the timely completion of the Dubai Metro.
"Just six months before deadline of the project, consultants told me it's impossible to finish work on time. I was shocked. We thought out of the box. We got five experts from France. They gave us different scenarios. One of them was to open 10 stations out of 29 so that people get used to operations of the Metro. This was an idea which came outside our core team. This led to the successful execution of project."
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com

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