Metro timings, road closures for New Year’s Eve in Dubai revealed

Dubai has announced a comprehensive traffic movement plan for New Year’s Eve with health protocols in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Several agencies including the Dubai Police, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Civil Defence, Dubai Ambulance and Emaar will work together to ensure smooth movement of vehicles and public buses in the area close to Burj Khalifa and other 23 locations across Dubai on New Year’s Eve.

A massive fireworks and light and laser show has been planned at Burj Khalifa to ring in 2021.

Read: All the details about watching the NYE fireworks show at Dubai’s Burj Khalifa

Mattar Al Tayer, director general of RTA, said that a comprehensive plan for the entire public transport system, especially around Burj Khalifa, will be put in place by the unified control centre at RTA and at the Dubai Intelligent Traffic Systems Centre in Al Barsha.

“The centre will enhance the efficiency of traffic movements and quick response to accidents. The RTA plan will focus on the public transport system as well as implement precautionary measures such as maintaining social distancing and wearing of masks,” he said.

Metro

The Red line will be in operation from 5am on Thursday, December 31 and run continuously until 1am on Saturday, January 2.

The Green line will begin at 5.30am on Thursday, December 31, and operate until 1am on Saturday, January 2.

The Burj Khalifa metro station will be closed from 5pm on Thursday until 6am on Friday, January 1 while designated pedestrian crossing lanes will be provided on Sheikh Zayed Road near the station to allow people to cross the road safely.

Meanwhile 200 buses will be in place to transport visitors from the various celebration areas to different parts of the city, specifically to metro stations, to facilitate the exit process.

The buses will be free for the public within their specified tracks.

Road closure

The Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard and Al Asayl street from Oud Maitha to Al Meydan street will be closed from 4pm on Thursday, and will only be open for public transportation and emergency vehicles.

The Financial Centre street will also be closed from 4pm, while Al Sukuk street will be closed from 8pm.

Al Mustakbal street will be closed (between First Business Bay street and Trade Centre) gradually between 6pm and 8pm until the end of the celebrations.

Security

Lt General Abdullah Khalifa Al Merri, commander-in-chief at Dubai Police, stressed that officers will be deployed across all the tourist destinations in the emirate on New Year’s Eve and will ensure that Covid-19 precautionary measures are implemented.

A total of 583 officers, non-commissioned officers and individuals, representing elite specialised units will be on ground while 71 fire and rescue vehicles will also be in place to handle any emergency situations.

All Dubai Civil Defense centres are also prepared according to their geographical distribution to cover the activities accompanying the celebrations in various locations, a sattement said.