Abu Dhabi to get its Metro soon

Dubai, May 10 (UNI) Abu Dhabi will soon launch a Metro project, as part of a master public transport plan, a senior official has said.

''The Abu Dhabi Metro project is currently under study and it will soon be unveiled,'' Abu Dhabi's Public Transport Department Director Ahmad Rashid Al Rashidi was quoted as saying by Gulf News.

Mr Al Rashidi, however, said the cost and other modalities of the project will be announced after the completion of the study.

He said plans are afoot to join the proposed Metro project to the Dubai Metro, providing a vital link between the two emirates.

''We will also have the option of extending it to other cities in Abu Dhabi as well as to link it to railway systems in other GCC states,'' he said.

The department is working closely with the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) ''to learn from their experiences'', he said while attending the launch of the prototype of the world's first air-conditioned state-of-the-art bus shelter at Dubai's RTA's headquarters.

He said a comprehensive plan is underway to ''cut the growth of cars by 50 per cent'' and augment the public transport system. As part of the plan, seven taxi companies will be introduced within eight months while existing private taxi services will be phased out, Mr Al Rashidi said.

More express bus services, on the lines of Dubai-Abu Dhabi, will be introduced, he added.

UNI XC YA AT HS1448