New Dhs335m traffic control centre opens in Dubai ahead of Expo 2020

A new Dhs335m traffic control centre to oversee all the public transport facilities in Dubai has been opened in the emirate.

Inaugurated by the UAE’s Vice President and Prime Minister and Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Enterprise Command and Control Centre (EC3) will be operated by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

The E3 will be able to manage operations of the Dubai Metro, Dubai Tram, public buses, taxis and marine transit modes in addition to the traffic control systems. It links the controls of RTA’s operational agencies with a central, integrated system unit.

The centre will use “smart technologies” to control and integrate the various transit means in Dubai and also enable the development of appropriate mobility plans, a statement said.

It also meets the requisites of hosting Expo 2020, the RTA added.

Spread across a total area of 10,900 sqm, the building comprises five levels. It has five subsidiary control rooms for various uses and two multi-purpose halls overlooking the main control room. They have accessibility to the mass transit system and the traffic system to take appropriate decisions during emergencies and crises.

The main control room, spread across 430sqm, has the capacity to accommodate 36 operational staff and is linked with 34 technological systems within the RTA. It can also link with external systems outside the RTA, and receive and manage the feed of about 11,231 surveillance cameras. It features a giant screen spanning 53 sqm comprising 40 screens.

The centre also has office space for the RTA’s agencies and strategic partners, press, and training halls and is also fitted with a helipad.

It will use artificial intelligence (AI) in the management of accidents and crises and use mobile phone data in planning and managing the movement of crowds. It will also simulate the virtual presence on the ground using 3D technology, and monitor mobility movement using drones.

The centre aims at supporting Dubai’s plan to become the world’s smartest city in the field of mobility, and will help “ease snarls, reduce mobility time and cost, curb traffic accidents, and limit the environmental pollution by smart planning”, the RTA said.

It will also work towards improving the co-ordination in managing crises, planning and managing events, and organise mobility during mega events in Dubai.