New Year's Eve in Dubai: city gears up for biggest celebration

The metro and public buses are the only way to access Downtown on Tuesday evening

Downtown Dubai gears up for New Year’s Eve. Reem Mohammed / The National

Signs directing crowds to Downtown Dubai NYE’s celebrations. Reem Mohammed / The National

Signs directing crowds to Downtown Dubai NYE’s celebrations. Reem Mohammed / The National

Signs directing crowds to Downtown Dubai NYE’s celebrations. Reem Mohammed / The National

Downtown Dubai gears up for New Year’s Eve. Reem Mohammed / The National

Barricades set up for Downtown Dubai New Year’s Eve celebrations. Reem Mohammed / The National

Media trucks and tents set up for Downtown Dubai New Year’s Eve celebrations. Reem Mohammed / The National

Downtown Dubai gears up for New Year’s Eve. Reem Mohammed / The National

Media broadcast set up for Downtown Dubai New Year’s Eve celebrations. Reem Mohammed / The National

Signs directing crowds to Downtown Dubai NYE’s celebrations. Reem Mohammed / The National

Downtown Dubai gears up for New Year’s Eve. Reem Mohammed / The National

Signs directing crowds to Downtown Dubai NYE’s celebrations. Reem Mohammed / The National

Barricades set up for Downtown Dubai New Year’s Eve celebrations. Reem Mohammed / The National

Dubai is gearing up for one of its biggest ever New Year's Eve celebrations with more than a million people set to descend on Downtown.

Police and transport officials set out a plan to ferry huge numbers of revellers to and from the Burj Khalifa area.

The evening will involve separating the general public into groups including families and bachelors, with the crowd having access to some different streets and metro stations.
Officers also urged parents to leave prams and buggies at home and asked members of the public to avoid excessive shows of affection come midnight. Party spray and firecrackers are banned.

On Sunday, transport officials said the metro red line and green lines would remain open continuously for 43 hours from 5am on Tuesday to midnight on Thursday, January 2. The Dubai Tram will also be in service from 6am on Tuesday 31 to 1am on Thursday, January 2.

In previous years police have seen drivers stopping on the side of Sheikh Zayed Road and other highways to watch the fireworks at midnight.

Police will be on hand to impound their vehicles.

“We don’t want to do that, but we will because stopping your car on the side of the road for five minutes causes tailbacks of hundreds of other cars,” said Brig Saif Al Mazrouei, head of Dubai's traffic police department.

“During previous celebrations, a pregnant woman went into labour in her car because the road was blocked by vehicles parked on the side of the road."

Families, members of the public and bachelors will be streamed into three groups, as shown above. Courtesy: Dubai Police / RTA / Emaar

Celebrations will be held at 25 different locations in Dubai, of which Burj Khalifa is by far the largest and is free.

“We have been working since June and held meetings with 40 different agencies to ensure the events go smoothly,” said Brig Abdulla Al Ghithi, head of the protective security department, which oversees major events.

More than 3,000 police officers and 600 civil defence personnel will be in the Downtown area to keep order and respond to any incident. Emergency services have cut their response times to sites from four minutes to just two.

Khalifa Al Daray, head of the Dubai Ambulance service, said more than 210 response vehicles including ambulances and motorbikes would be on hand on New Year's Eve. There will also be a field hospital based near the boulevard to avoid any delays to patients.

“No major cases were dealt with during last year’s celebrations and no one was taken to hospital,” said Mr Al Daray.

Most people who did seek medical help had left their medication at home or were feeling tired or faint, he added.

Spectators are advised to arrive by 4pm, when the roads around Burj Khalifa begin to close.

Burj Khalifa-Dubai Mall metro station will close at 10pm on Tuesday until 6am the following day. Surrounding stations, including Financial Centre and Business Bay, will remain open.

Gradual closures of other roads including the upper end of Financial Centre Road, which runs through DIFC, and Happiness Street will follow.

Drivers can park at locations around the city and take public buses in but parking spaces are limited.

These include 1,000 spaces at Al Wasl Club, 500 spaces at Dubai’s immigration department in Al Jafiliya and 1,500 at the Eid Musalla Mosque in Mankool.

Fireworks and a light show at Burj Khalifa will start at 11.57pm and last for eight minutes, said Ahmad Al Matroushi, from Emaar.

“We are very keen to see people happy and enjoying the event,” he said.