Fujairah to Mumbai in just two hours via a 2,000 kilometre underwater tunnel sounds like the kind of fake news usually reserved for sensational social media posts.
But when an Abu Dhabi design company uploaded a YouTube video showing how an 'ultra-speed' subsea railway connecting the UAE and India may look, people began to take notice.
Although only at a concept stage, the space-aged floating tunnel connecting the two nations across the Arabian Sea could carry passengers and oil at high speeds, designers claim.
A floating hotel, fuel stations and rest areas have been included in the madcap tunnel design.
The plan published by the National Advisor Bureau, a consultancy firm based in Masdar City, shows trains could travel the 1,826km route in less than two hours.
"It is expected that the project will help increase the trade and the influx of tourists from both sides," said Abdulla Alshehhi, managing director at the National Advisor Bureau Ltd.
"The floating underwater tunnel would consist of two curved concrete tubes, submerged below the surface of the Arabian Sea.
"Submerged tubes would be stabilised by being attached to pontoons on the surface of the sea or vertical tethers to the sea floor.
"There would be enough gaps between the pontoons to allow ships to pass through and the tubes would be placed underwater, deep enough to avoid water traffic and weather."
Plans also show the possibility for other vehicles to travel through the tunnel, with further stations in Karachi and Muscat opening up the region further.
Designers claim the tunnel could be used to import water from the Narmada River, north of Mumbai, a tributary well known for flooding during monsoon season, with excess water exported to the UAE.
The Fujairah-Mumbai Tunnel and Subsea Ultra Speed Train Line Project is currently at the concept stage, and unlikely to every become a reality.
It is not the first time the NAB has come up with a whacky idea straight out of a science fiction film.
In 2016, the UAE Iceberg Project, was an idea to tow an iceberg all the way from Antarctica to Fujeirah in 2020 to provide a supply of pristine freshwater.
That concept was ridiculed by the Ministry of Energy, but as the race to bring the hyperloop technology to the UAE gathers pace — this latest tunnel design may not seem as far-fetched.
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Fatherland
Kele Okereke
(BMG)
Habib El Qalb
Assi Al Hallani
(Rotana)
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
MATCH INFO
Burnley 1 (Brady 89')
Manchester City 4 (Jesus 24', 50', Rodri 68', Mahrez 87')
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 290hp
Torque: 340Nm
Price: Dh155,800
On sale: now
