The Man Who Likes To Be Moved

Last year I asked my son what he would like to be when he grew up. His answer was "Postman". I asked why. His answer was "nak naik motor, best!". I was almost burst into laughter at this. Then it struck my head that when I was 7 or 8 years old, I wanted to be a bus driver, specifically a school bus driver. The idea of getting into the bus to school to meet friends and coming back from school to have a great home-cooked meal and then watched TV, simply kept me moving. And inside the school bus, there were exciting events of meeting kids from other schools, admiring those with trendy digital watches, exchanging cards (not business card, but those kids cards on cars, planes, etc., playing Game & Watch (not Game Boy, but those simple game to salvage Mickey's eggs and the like, making fun of one another, discussing the A-team and the Great American Hero. It was like a moveable heaven. I thought if I grew up to be a bus driver, these experiences would never end. So, my point is, I have this special interest in public transportation from my early and humble beginning.

As an adult, I was so excited when I got into LRT to KL to attend my OUM classes. It brought the old childhood memories of the being in the school bus. In the LRT I had invaded others' personal space as we were cramped into the train like sardines and tuna in a can of cat food. We were so close that I could see what the girl next to me texting on her phone asking her boyfriend to pick her up in the next 2 stops. However, this excitement was short-lived. After a couple of trips, I got tired of standing too long, waiting too long, cramping too close and too long. So I started to get sored with the LRT system in the Durian-land and keep asking over and over, "When are they going to upgrade?"

So now in Dubai, I have the chance to witness the rapid development of Dubai Metro. Its first station in Jebel Ali which is the nearest to my work place has almost completed.

When the project is completed by September 9, 2009, there will be 47 stations, including 2 transfer underground stations - one at the Union Square in Deira which is the largest in size, and one at BurJuman Station in Bur Dubai which is the deepest one at 30 metres below the ground. The tunnel will start at Union Square in Deira and stretch to BurJuman Centre. The tunnelling works may not appear to be intense on the surface, but like termites, the workforce in Dubai is progressing very rapidly.

There will be 10 underground stations positioned in the central metropolitan area, and the remaining 37 are elevated. Computer generated images below are the typical underground and elevated stations.

The exterior of the elevated stations is a shell-shaped roof, which is inspired by the traditional heritage of Dubai pearl diving. I wonder if the LRT stations in Durian-land are to be re-designed, what kind of shape will take form. Durian? I guess not, since our small neighbour has already made one its art landmark based on the spiky oval.

The interior of the stations is uniquely designed by mimicking the natural elements of water, air, fire and earth. There will be 12 earth-themed stations, 13 water-themed stations, 11 air-themed stations and 11-fire stations. The brightly coloured atmosphere for the interior of a station that matches the fire theme, may appear to be grotesque to me. It gives me a little creep thinking I'm in a hellish fire station. Hopefully, they will not assigned this theme to the stations that are close to my apartment as well as to Jebel Ali Free Zone, where I work.

Well, from the start Dubai Metro has set the limit for its loading capacity. Back in Durian-land, instead of a number, LRT capacity is countless, bring them all in as long as the door can close.

The setting of the seats is like the Super VIP express buses from KL to Singapore. It looks cosy enough for daily commute who those able to get the seats.

The headline that says "Beware : Dubai Metro is coming to ease the traffic bottlenecks" , says it all. I hope I stay long enough in Dubai to see it, believe it and enjoy each ride......

Sources from Gulfnews