Tunnelling work on the Dubai Metro’s Redline has been completed ahead of schedule, according to the rail agency of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

“The work has been completed smoothly achieving the highest standards in the alignment,” a spokesman for the RTA says.
Engineer Adnan Al Hammadi, director of construction at the rail agency says that tunnelling works of the Red Line was accomplished by two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) Al Wugesha.
The first one, which started at the Union Square Station, headed for BurJuman Station penetrating through Dubai Creek, and the other from the Union Square Station towards Al Rigga Station and from there headed towards Deira City Centre. The operations successfully passed through all the buildings located on the path, particularly Dnata building located between Al Rigga Road and Deira City, he says.
“The length of the tunnel that connects the Union Square Station to BurJuman Station is 1,479 m consisting of 986 rings with a best performance of 25.5 m and 17 rings a day. The length of the tunnel that connects the Union Square Station to the Rigga Station is 948 m consisting of 632 rings with a best performance of 27 m and 18 rings a day. The length of the tunnel that connects Al Rigga Station to Deira City Centre Station is 1,168 m consisting 779 rings with a best performance of 27 m and 18 rings a day. The total length of the Red Line stands at 3,595 m, with an excavation diameter of 9.6 m and an internal diameter of 8.5 m.
“The readings of the surface soil movement and the buildings surrounding and neighbouring the work site fell within the permissible limits and were even better,” says Al Hammadi.
Excavation of the tunnel that connects the Union Square Station to the Rigga Station was started in April last year and ended in August of the same year. The excavation of the tunnel that connects the Union Square Station to BurJuman Station, which  started in January last year, ended nine months later.
The excavation of the tunnel that connects Al Rigga Station to Deira City Center Station started in October last year and was completed three months later.
Al Hammadi says that the tunnels had a lining thickness of 0.4 m. Each ring measured 1.5 m in length and weighed 41.8 m.
A large team of specialists were present in the tunnels, monitoring the progress of work and spotting the variables in the area surrounding the buildings, thereby ensuring safety at the excavation works.
“The RTA and Dubai Rapid Link have developed extensive plans to enhance safety and to ensure the completion of the entire tunnel excavations as per comprehensive plans based on the highest world standards applicable in this domain,” Al Hammadi concludes.