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Submitted by Salman (dubai moves.com) on March 27, 2009 Tired of your commute on Sheikh Zayed Road? Failed your driving test for the sixth time? Sick of dealing with rude taxi drivers? Well, finally, the first-of-its-kind mass transit system in the region is scheduled to begin service in September of 2009. It is a huge undertaking by the government of Dubai and at dubaimoves we eagerly anticipate its arrival. With public service scheduled to start in September 2009, the authorities target that 30% of the population will start utilizing mass transit. Project Overview Dubai Metro is a 15.5 Billion AED (4.2 Billion US Dollar) project initiated by the RTA (Roads and Transportation Authority) under the directive of HRH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The first phase build contract was awarded to the Dubai Rail Link consortium (DURL) consisting of Mitsubishi Corporation, Obayashi Corporation, Kajima Corporation and Yap...

Dubai was meant to be a Middle-Eastern Shangri-La, a glittering monument to Arab enterprise and western capitalism. But as hard times arrive in the city state that rose from the desert sands, an uglier story is emerging. Johann Hari reports The wide, smiling face of Sheikh Mohammed – the absolute ruler of Dubai – beams down on his creation. His image is displayed on every other building, sandwiched between the more familiar corporate rictuses of Ronald McDonald and Colonel Sanders. This man has sold Dubai to the world as the city of One Thousand and One Arabian Lights, a Shangri-La in the Middle East insulated from the dust-storms blasting across the region. He dominates the Manhattan-manqué skyline, beaming out from row after row of glass pyramids and hotels smelted into the shape of piles of golden coins. And there he stands on the tallest building in the world – a skinny spike, jabbing farther into the sky than any other human construction in history. But something has flickered in ...