RTA Awards AED 20.5 billion contract for Dubai Metro Blue Line to Turkish-Chinese consortium

DUBAI: The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has officially awarded the contract for the ambitious Dubai Metro Blue Line project to a consortium of prominent Turkish and Chinese firms—MAPA, LIMAK, and CRRC, reported nukta.com.

Valued at AED 20.5 billion, the project will span 30 kilometres and include 14 stations, poised to transform the transportation landscape of the city, according to the Government of Dubai Media Office. This initiative is a key component of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, both of which aim to improve mobility and sustainability throughout the city.

The project was announced by Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at RTA, during a press briefing at One&Only Za’abeel. It aligns with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision to prioritize infrastructure as a fundamental aspect of Dubai’s growth.

The Blue Line will feature 15.5 km of underground tracks and 14.5 km of elevated tracks, including Dubai Metro’s first crossing over Dubai Creek via a 1,300-meter bridge.

The project will include a flagship station at Dubai Creek Harbour, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), designed to accommodate 160,000 passengers daily, and International City (1), which will become the metro’s largest underground station.

The Blue Line will set a precedent as Dubai’s first transport project to meet platinum-grade green building standards, highlighting the city’s dedication to sustainable development. By 2040, the metro is anticipated to serve about 320,000 passengers daily and connect urban centres such as Dubai Academic City, home to over 50,000 students, and Dubai Silicon Oasis, a strategic area in the city’s urban master plan.

Chosen through a competitive international tender process, the consortium will leverage its collective expertise for the project. MAPA and LIMAK will be responsible for civil works, while CRRC will manage rail systems. Construction is set to commence in April 2025, with operations scheduled to begin in September 2029, marking two decades since the inception of the Dubai Metro.

The completion of the Blue Line will extend Dubai’s rail network from 101 km to 131 km, adding 14 new metro stations and expanding the train fleet to 168, further cementing Dubai’s reputation as a global leader in driverless metro systems.