Rethinking Infrastructure: The Dubai Metro and Mobility Equity
When Dubai Metro launched in 2009, it became the world’s longest fully automated metro system at the time - now spanning 89.3 km with two lines and over 53 stations.
Its reach into communities like Al Qusais, Jebel Ali, and now Expo City (formerly Expo 2020 site) has quietly redefined how the city breathes. It averages over 650,000 daily riders as of 2023, reflecting its vital role in reducing car dependence in a notoriously car-centric environment.
Yet challenges persist: low-income workers—especially in peripheral labor camps—remain underserved by last-mile connectivity. The expansion plans (including the proposed Blue Line, linking key suburbs) promise more integration, but also reveal lingering inequities in urban mobility.
In a city of towers, equity begins underground. The metro is not just transport - it’s public policy made steel.
Photo credits: Wikipedia
Oksana Bozhko is a Contributor to Dubai Voice.
Oksana Bozhko
Vladyslava Garkusha
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