The boring machine is assembled. THE BORING COMPANY
Dubai Loop is moving closer to its tunnelling phase, with the project’s tunnel boring machine now being assembled and concrete segments for the underground route being cast.
The progress was reviewed by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, during a meeting with Steve Davis, president of US-based The Boring Company, on Tuesday (September 29).
The meeting at Sheikh Hamdan’s office also brought together senior officials from Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and The Boring Company. Discussions covered cooperation and the latest work on the passenger transport tunnel project.
Dubai Loop is planned as an underground passenger transport system using electric vehicles. It is designed to offer another way of moving around high-density areas and to provide first- and last-mile connections between major destinations.
The project has advanced since RTA and The Boring Company signed an implementation agreement in February.
A tunnel beneath the city
The first phase is planned as a 6.4km pilot route with four stations connecting Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Dubai Mall.
The wider planned alignment would extend for up to about 22.2km and include 19 stations connecting the Dubai World Trade Centre and financial district with Business Bay.
The tunnels will have a diameter of 3.6 metres and will be designed specifically for electric vehicles. The project agreement says the tunnelling technology is intended to speed up construction, reduce costs and minimise disruption to existing roads and utilities compared with conventional transport systems.
The pilot is expected to serve around 13,000 passengers a day, while the full route is projected to have capacity for approximately 30,000 passengers daily.
RTA Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors Mattar Al Tayer previously described Dubai Loop as an addition to the emirate’s transport network. “The project represents a qualitative addition to Dubai’s transport ecosystem, as it enhances integration between different mobility modes and provides flexible and efficient first- and last-mile solutions,” Al Tayer said.
The first phase is estimated to cost about Dh565 million and is expected to take around one year to deliver after design work and preparations are completed. The full route is estimated at about Dh2 billion, with implementation expected to take around three years.
Current work includes assembling the tunnel boring machine and casting the concrete lining segments that will form the tunnel walls. The project is expected to move into tunnelling after design, mobilisation and regulatory preparations, including permits and No Objection Certificates from relevant authorities. ICA/Expat Media
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