ABU DHABI // More than Dh360 billion has been allocated so far by the Abu Dhabi Government to help fund capital projects in the next five years.
Among the high-profile projects are the Etihad Rail network and the expansion of Abu Dhabi International Airport.
“Many of the planned projects have distinguished features and are considered as unique investments,” said Abu Dhabi municipality’s communications director, Adel Al Rabia.
He said one of the most important projects under way was the widening of 328 kilometres of the Al Mafraq-Al Ghwaifat road. The Dh5.2bn project is expected to be completed by 2017. The municipality is managing several proposals for community projects, including one at the Corniche.
Last year, it launched a recreational project at Khalifa Park called the Six Continents Festival, which attracted families to the venue from October until March.
Mr Al Rabia said these projects would allow the country to create job opportunities for many people, and to maintain and qualify the national standards of life.
The status of UAE harbours as a central stop in international trade is expected to increase, according to Abdul Wahab Al Diwani, director of Maritime Safety and Environment for the National Transport Authority.
“Maritime shipping supports about 90 per cent of the volume of global trade, and 98 per cent of the UAE economy is based on maritime transport,” he said. The 20 ports in the UAE are a relatively high number for a country of its size.
“The Jebel Ali port, for example, is the world’s fifth-largest,” he said.
“The 2,177-kilometre long GCC rail network, which will link all six Arabian Gulf states by rail for the first time, will provide an alternative to air and sea travel for goods and passengers in the region and will be fully operational in 2018,” he added. “Abu Dhabi is leading the GCC rail network with its Dh40bn Etihad Rail project.”
The rail project, at 1,200 kilometres, is scheduled for completion in 2018 and will link cities and ports in the UAE. It will eventually connect with a GCC railway in 2019.
More funds will be dedicated to public transport. Col Tariq Al Salami, head of the Department of Transport at Abu Dhabi Police, said the number of bus passengers in the emirate had reached 67 million. About 64 million residents use taxis.
“A total of 87,000 passengers have used ferries as a means of transport,” he said. This has created a need for secure means of transportat.
Col Al Salami said the UAE government was committed to enhancing security and safety, particularly in terms of transport, and said 100 square metres south of Al Shamekha were being used to establish a Traffic Village for safety education.
The updates for the Government’s 2020 infrastructure programme were announced during a Ramadan Council meeting last week. Participants at the council recommended the need to continue organising such Ramadan events as an integral way of aligning goals and updating the public.
nalwasmi@thenational.ae
