Prime minister of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has launched main tunnelling works on the 30km Dubai Metro Blue Line project.
He pressed the button to start tunnel boring machine (TBM) Al Wugeisha digging from International City 1 Station to Mirdif.
The 163m-long TBM, which weighs more than 2,000t, will advance up to 17m per day as it creates one of three excavated tubes for the transport system.
The Blue Line will run for 15.5km underground and feature four subterranean stations. The remaining 14.5km and 10 stops will be at surface level or elevated above the city streets.
TBM Al Wugeisha is equipped with technology including high-precision digital guidance systems, sophisticated monitoring and control capabilities and an integrated logistics plant for transporting excavated material. It is designed to break through rock formations, bore through sandy strata and deal with any other objects that may be encountered.
Al Maktoum said: “Our projects in Dubai are delivered to meet the highest international standards, guided by clear plans, precise timelines and national talent capable of turning vision into tangible achievements in practice. Their delivery is overseen by 180 railway experts and engineers.”
The Blue Line project is a fifth of the way through, the Dubai Government said this week. It kicked off with a groundbreaking ceremony last summer.
More than 10,000 workers have since been deployed, with more than 13m work hours undertaken.
Construction of a bridge to cross Dubai Creek has begun as part of the project, which is expected to be 30% complete by the end of this year.
Al Maktoum also reviewed interior station design, including a distinctive look for the iconic Emaar Properties Station, which will stand 74m high, making it the world’s tallest metro station.
The Blue Line is scheduled to open in September 2029. It will serve nine key districts with a projected population of around 1 million people by 2040.
Its construction represents the fifth strategic public transport project in the city, after the Dubai Metro’s existing red and green lines, the Dubai Tram and the Dubai Metro Route 2020.
The Blue line will connect Dubai International Airport and nine key areas, including Mirdif, Al Warqa, International City 1 and 2, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Academic City, Ras Al Khor Industrial Area, Dubai Creek Harbour and Dubai Festival City.
The Emirate’s Roads and Transport Authority last year awarded infrastructure engineering firm Parsons a five-year project management role on the Blue Line.
The company is providing services including design review, procurement support, construction supervision, testing and commissioning oversight, and project handover management for the scheme.