Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has formally initiated the underground tunnelling phase of the Dubai Metro Blue Line, activating a massive 163-metre tunnel boring machine named ‘Al Wugeisha’ at the International City 1 Station site.
The machine, weighing over 2,000 tonnes, will bore simultaneously in three directions — toward Mirdif, the Auto Market, and Al Warsan — and is capable of advancing between 13 and 17 metres per day around the clock. It is equipped with high-precision digital guidance, environmental safeguards, and integrated logistics for excavated material removal.
The 30-kilometre Blue Line spans 15.5 km underground and 14.5 km above ground, with 14 stations across nine districts. It is designed to serve roughly one million residents under the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, reduce corridor traffic congestion by 20 percent, and connect riders to Dubai International Airport in under 20 minutes.
The project, now 20 percent complete, is being delivered by more than 10,000 workers and over 500 engineers under Emirati leadership. The consortium has logged more than 13 million work hours with no lost-time injuries recorded.
Sheikh Mohammed described the undertaking as part of a broader urban reshaping effort. “Our projects in Dubai are delivered to meet the highest international standards, guided by clear plans, precise timelines, and national talent capable of turning vision into tangible achievements in practice,” he said.
At a total investment of over AED 20.5 billion, the Blue Line is targeted for launch on 9 September 2029. Completion is expected to reach 30 percent by end of 2026.
Among the line’s notable features is the Emaar Properties Station — at 74 metres, set to be the world’s tallest metro station. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the firm behind the Burj Khalifa, it covers approximately 11,000 square metres and is projected to handle over 70,000 daily riders by 2040.
The International City 1 interchange station — the largest underground interchange in the metro network — spans more than 44,000 square metres with a daily capacity of around 350,000 riders.
The Blue Line will connect to the existing Green Line at Creek Station and the Red Line at Centrepoint Station, expanding a metro and tram network that has carried nearly 2.8 billion passengers since its 2009 launch.
