Photo: courtesy of J.Jackson/Alstom.
Expolink, an Alstom-led consortium that also includes ACCIONA and Gulermak, has signed a contract with the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) to design and build the extension of Dubai’s Red metro line and upgrade the system of the existing line. The total value of the project is 2.6 billion euros, with Alstom’s share representing half of that amount.
The extended line, also called Route 2020, will connect the Dubai to the World Expo 2020 site and is expected to start commercial service in 2020. The project involves the construction of a 15-kilometre line, with 11.8 kilometers of elevated metro line and 3.2 kilometers underground metro line. The line will branch off the existing red line at the Nakheel Harbour & Tower station.
The extension will feature extension will have seven stations, including an interchange at Nakheel Harbour and a metro station at the World Expo site. The project will include a 3.2 km tunnel perforated by a tunnel boring machine, 1.2 km of open-cut route and 11.8 km of elevated viaduct metro line.
Alstom will provide and integrate the entire metro system, including 50 Metropolis trainsets, power supply, communication, automatic fare control, track works, platform screen doors and a three-year warranty on the whole system. Alstom will also enhance the existing metro line by upgrading power supply, signaling systems, miscellaneous communication and track works.
The Metropolis trainsets for Dubai are 88 meters long, composed of five cars per trainset and will be able to carry up to 700 passengers each. The train features wide gangways, large doors and windows, three specific areas for Silver, Family and Gold Classes and is equipped with a full electrical braking system and LED lighting.
Alstom delivered the Dubai catenary-free tramway, which opened in November 2014, and is also in charge of the maintenance of the Dubai Tram system for a period of 13 years.
Photo: (from left to right) Kemal Guleryuz, chairman of Gulermak; Henri Poupart-Lafarge, chairman and CEO of Alstom; HE Mattar Al Tayer, RTA’s director general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors; and José Manuel Entrecanales, chairman of ACCIONA. The signature of the contract follows the announcement made at a press conference that was held in Dubai on June 29, 2016.