Plans to connect 11 key cities and regions across the UAE have been revealed as part of the AED50 billion UAE Rail Program.
The program, which falls under the ambitious ‘Projects of the 50’ initiative to reinforce the goals of economic diversification to broaden the base of the national economy and expand the sources of total income, was announced during a special event at Dubai Expo 2020.
Stage One of the Etihad Rail, connecting cities from Ghuwaifat to Fujairah, has been fully operational since 2016.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, said: “The Etihad Rail is the largest project to consolidate the strength of the union for the next fifty years. It will connect 11 key cities and regions across the UAE.
“The UAE’s infrastructure is among the best in the world, and the Etihad Rail will further enhance UAE excellence in the logistical field. The project comes in line with the environmental policy of the UAE and it will reduce carbon emissions by 70-80 percent.”
The UAE Railway Program includes three key projects; the first project is the freight rail, which includes the Etihad Rail freight services.
The second project is the rail passenger services, that aim to connect 11 cities with the UAE from Al Sila to Fujairah at a speed of 200 km/h, where passengers can travel from Abu Dhabi to Dubai in 50 minutes, and from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah in 100 minutes.
By 2030, the number of passengers is expected to reach more than 36.5 million annually, according to a statement on Sunday.
The third project is an integrated transportation service, where an innovation centre will be established to ensure the integration of the smart transportation solutions. A network of light rail will be connected to the Rail Passenger System to facilitate transportation inside UAE cities.
Additionally, smart applications and solutions will also be developed to allow planning and booking trips, integrating logistics operations, port and customs services, and providing integrated logistics solutions.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, said: “The National Railways Program reflects the true meaning of integration into our national economic system, as we see the largest partnership between government entities at the federal and local levels.
“It comes to support a national vision to connect the country’s key centers of industry and production, open new trade routes and facilitate population movement, creating the most developed work and life environment in the region.”
It is anticipated that the program will provide more than 9,000 jobs in the railway sector and supporting sectors by 2030.
Furthermore, it is estimated to create economic opportunities amounting to AED200bn; the estimated benefits of reducing carbon emissions amount to AED21bn, road maintenance AED8bn, in addition to achieving tourism benefits estimated at AED23bn during the next 50 years, meanwhile the public benefits on the UAE economy will reach AED23bn.
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