At the recent World Government Summit, the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority announced an agreement with Elon Musk to jointly promote the Dubai Loop project. The initial investment of approximately 565 million dirhams aims to achieve seamless door-to-door travel through underground tunnels, providing innovative solutions to global urban traffic congestion issues.

Implementation of the blueprint for the underground transportation network

At the recent World Government Summit, Matar Al Tayer, Director General of Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), officially announced that Dubai will launch the first phase of the Dubai Loop project. This marks Dubai as the second city in the world to introduce this innovative transportation model, and another important milestone for Elon Musk's The Boring Company (TBC) to expand globally, following Las Vegas.

RTA has signed a formal agreement with TBC, with an initial investment of approximately 565 million dirhams (approximately 153.85 million US dollars). Al Tayal stated that if the first phase progresses smoothly, the subsequent stages are expected to be carried out earlier, demonstrating Dubai's firm determination to develop underground transportation.

Double breakthrough in cost and efficiency

The Dubai Loop is defined as an iconic underground transportation project that plans to construct a one-way tunnel network connecting important residential, commercial, and tourist areas throughout the city. The system will be equipped with both above ground and underground stations, aiming to achieve fast and seamless door-to-door travel.

This project has achieved significant technological breakthroughs. Al Tayer emphasized that the tunnel technology has significant advantages in cost and efficiency: the average cost per kilometer is about 70 million dirhams, which is significantly lower than the cost of traditional tunnel construction methods, which is about 125 million dirhams per kilometer. At the same time, its segmented excavation process can reduce interference with ground traffic and accelerate project progress.

Connecting financial centers with shopping paradise

The first phase of the route will cover key areas such as Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Dubai Mall, and is expected to be completed within one to two years. Hamad Al Shehi, the head of RTA's road department, stated that in the past few months, the agency has completed research on project site selection, scheme, and schedule.

After the project is put into operation, it is planned to invest 100 dedicated vehicles to shorten the travel time from DIFC to Dubai Mall from 20 minutes to about 3 minutes. Although the ticket price has not been finalized, it will maintain a competitive level to ensure that citizens and tourists can enjoy convenient and efficient travel services.Editor/Yang Meiling