Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), chaired a Dubai Metro Blue Line Forum meeting at the precast concrete production and storage facility in International City. The meeting was attended by leaders of the project consortium - MAPA, Limak and CRRC Hong Kong - along with senior representatives from consulting and contracting firms and RTA executives.
Dubai Metro Blue Line Review Highlights Construction Progress and Timeline
The forum, which meets regularly to monitor delivery and address implementation decisions, reviewed construction progress and scheduling. The project currently employs more than 3,000 workers and 500 engineers and specialists across 12 sites. To date, more than 4.6 million work hours have been completed, with overall progress at 12 percent. Construction is expected to reach 30 percent completion by the end of 2026, with the line scheduled to open on Sept. 9, 2029, in line with the approved programme.
During the visit, Al Tayer inspected the ready-mix concrete and precast production facilities. The Blue Line is the first rail project by RTA to integrate two ready-mix concrete batching plants and two precast concrete storage facilities, located in Al Ruwayyah 3 and International City. According to RTA, this model is intended to strengthen quality control, streamline logistics, and reduce construction timelines.
The Al Ruwayyah 3 plant produces 200 cubic metres of ready-mix concrete and between 10 and 12 viaduct segments daily. In International City, the batching plant produces 120 cubic metres of concrete, while the tunnel rings factory manufactures 12 rings per day.
Stretching 30 kilometres with 14 stations, the Dubai Metro Blue Line will connect the existing Red and Green Lines and serve areas projected to house about one million residents by 2040. The line will offer a 20-minute direct journey to Dubai International Airport and supports the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan by extending metro access to the city’s fifth urban area. RTA says the project is designed to advance the 20-minute city concept, support transit-oriented development, contribute to the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), increase land and property values near stations by up to 25 percent, and reduce traffic congestion along served corridors by 20 percent.
Photo credits: Government of Dubai Media Office
Oksana Bozhko is a Contributor to Dubai Voice.
Oksana Bozhko
