Travel

Dubai:17 th December 2025:
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board
of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA)
chaired the Dubai Metro Blue Line Forum meeting at the Precast
Concrete Production and Storage Factory in International City, attended
by the heads of the Dubai Metro Blue Line Project Consortium. The
meeting brought together the chairmen of the boards of MAPA, Limak,
and CRRC Hong Kong, the heads of the consultancy and contracting
companies delivering the project, as well as several RTA CEOs.
The Forum convenes on a regular basis as part of RTA’s strategy to
monitor progress and take the necessary decisions to ensure compliance
with the approved project schedule.
During the meeting, the Forum reviewed project updates and progress.
More than 3,000 workers are currently engaged on the project under the
supervision of 500 engineers and specialists, distributed across 12
locations. The consortium has completed over 4.6 million working hours
across the various construction sites, while overall project completion
has reached 12%. The project team expects progress to rise to 30% by
the end of 2026, with the project set to open in line with the approved
programme on 9.9.2029.
Concrete Casting Plant

Al Tayer and members of the Forum Meeting inspected the ready-mix
concrete casting plant. Additionally, Dubai Metro Blue Line represents
the first rail project implemented by RTA to include two ready-mix
concrete batching plants and two precast concrete storage facilities in Al
Ruwayyah 3 and International City. This approach reflects RTA’s
proactive delivery of major projects, strengthens quality assurance and
efficiency of construction materials, ensures full control over
manufacturing and supply chains, reduces implementation timelines, and
enhances the efficiency of logistics operations.
Al Tayer and members of the Forum Meeting received a briefing on the
production capacity of the two plants. The ready-mix concrete batching
plant in Al Ruwayyah 3 produces 200 cubic metres of ready-mix
concrete, while the viaduct precast production yard delivers between 10
and 12 viaduct segments per day. In International City, the ready-mix
concrete batching plant produces 120 cubic metres of ready-mix
concrete, and the precast tunnel rings factory produces 12 rings per day.
Dubai Metro Blue Line spans 30 km and includes 14 stations, making it
one of RTA’s key strategic projects. The line links the Red and Green
Lines of Dubai Metro and serves areas with an estimated population of
around one million by 2040. It provides direct journeys to Dubai
International Airport in 20 minutes and supports the objectives of the
Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan by connecting the fifth urban area to the
metro network, enhancing quality of life for residents and visitors, and
realising the 20-minute city concept by enabling access to more than
80% of services within 20 minutes of travel. The project also supports
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), advances the Dubai Economic
Agenda (D33), increases land and property values around stations by up
to 25%, and reduces traffic congestion by 20% on the corridors served
by the Blue Line.

Dubai. 16 December 2025:
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a pilot operation to
clean traffic signals across Dubai using drone technology. This innovative step
reflects RTA’s commitment to adopting advanced technologies within operational
processes and deploying smart solutions that align with a future-focused vision to
enhance service quality, optimise resource efficiency, and achieve the highest levels
of traffic safety for all road users.
The initiative enhances safety standards by eliminating the need for a manlift during
cleaning operations. It also reduces operational costs by limiting reliance on heavy
equipment, while supporting sustainability objectives through lower fuel and water
consumption and reduced emissions associated with conventional equipment.
Abdulla Ali Lootah, Director of Roads and Facilities Maintenance at Traffic and
Roads Agency, RTA, said that RTA continued to adopt advanced and innovative
technologies to enhance maintenance activities, sustain operational efficiency, and
ensure consistent performance across roads and related facilities in the Emirate. He
added that the pilot operation to deploy drones for cleaning traffic signals had
included a comparative assessment between the new technology and the traditional
method, focusing on time, cost, quality of execution, and compliance with safety
requirements.
Lootah added that the first phase had involved a series of trials at the Marrakech
Street–Rebat Street junction, where a limited traffic closure was implemented to
ensure the highest safety standards during the initial pilot phase. Preliminary results
demonstrated a reduction in operational time ranging from 25% to 50%, with the
drone completing the cleaning of a single side in just three to four minutes. The trials
also showed an estimated reduction in operational costs of up to 15% compared
with the traditional method, with projections indicating that this figure could rise to
25% in the future through the use of more advanced drone technologies.

Lootah emphasised the continuation of the pilot operation to ensure the effective
use of drone technologies in maintenance activities. He noted that the next phase
would assess the cleaning methodology, with a focus on achieving the highest
safety standards and avoiding any impact on traffic flow. These efforts will enhance
the quality of operational processes and further strengthen the performance of the
road infrastructure and network across the Emirate of Dubai.

Sharjah, UAE; December 16, 2025: Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest budget carrier operator, has officially launched its daily non-stop flights between Sharjah and Munich, marking the airline’s first German destination served directly from Sharjah. The service is operated by the airline’s new Airbus A320neo, offering its customers enhanced comfort and convenience.

The inaugural flight was welcomed upon arrival with a special ceremony at Munich Airport attended by senior representatives from Air Arabia and the airport.

Commenting on the launch, Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, said: “We are glad to commence our new non-stop service to Munich directly from Sharjah, a significant addition that further strengthens our growing footprint across Europe. This launch reflects our continued commitment to unlocking key destinations for our customers while offering greater choice and convenience.”

He added: “Munich stands as a major cultural and economic centre, and we are pleased to provide our customers with a direct service that delivers a reliable and value-added travel experience.”

Oliver Dersch, Senior Vice President Aviation, Munich Airport said: “We are delighted that Air Arabia has now launched its route between Munich and Sharjah. This expands travel options for our passengers and further strengthens Munich’s important role in the market to and from the GCC countries.”

The addition of Munich marks a strategic expansion in Air Arabia’s growing European network directly from the UAE, which already includes key destinations such as Vienna, Athens, Milan Bergamo, Krakow, Warsaw Chopin and soon to Warsaw Modlin and Prague.

Air Arabia operates a modern fleet comprised of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft. The airline offers a value-added onboard experience with ‘SkyTime’, its complementary in-flight streaming service, and ‘SkyCafe’, its onboard menu. Passengers can also benefit from ‘Air Rewards’, the most generous loyalty program in the region.