UAE vice-president and prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has launched the primary tunnelling works for the Dubai Metro Blue Line project.
The ceremonial launch of TBM Al Wugeisha, which was attended by government and business dignitaries, was held at the International City 1 Station site – the largest underground interchange station in the metro network, spanning more than 44,000m2.
The project, valued at more than AED20.5 billion (€4.8bn), will be a 30km route with 15.5km underground and 14.5km stretch above ground. It features 14 stations including three interchange stations, seven elevated stations and four underground stations. It will connect with the Green Line at Creek Station and the Red Line at Centrepoint Station and serve nine key districts.
Tunnelling works will proceed in three directions from International City 1 Station, with the first TBM heading towards Mirdif, the second towards the Auto Market, and the third towards Al Warsan (International City 2).
TBM Al Wugeisha is 163m long and weighs more than 2,000 tonnes. It is expected to achieve an average advance of 13-17m per day through rock formations and sandy strata.
The precast tunnel segment factory will produce 12 rings per day.
Work started on the Road and Transport Authority’s Blue Line in June last year and is 20% complete, with more than 10,000 workers and 500 engineers deployed.
The Dubai government’s media office says the stations construction works are progressing at an accelerated pace, exceeding planned completion rates. Mapa–Limak–CRRC Consortium (MLCC), which is delivering the project, has also begun constructing the piers of the 1.3km-long bridge crossing Dubai Creek, the first metro bridge to span the Creek.
Construction of the Blue Line is expected to reach 30% completion by the end of this year, and passenger services are scheduled to start in September 2029.
