Dubai: It’s been five years since the first train of the Dubai Metro hit the tracks and these years have been memorable for commuters, many of whom can’t imagine life without the trains.
As Dubai celebrated the fifth anniversary of Dubai Metro on Tuesday, Gulf News took a ride on the trains, speaking to commuters who are part of the Metro’s successful journey.
“I have been in Dubai for three years and I don’t know any other way to travel. I can’t imagine life without the trains,” said Mohammad Haneefa, a graphic designer from Sri Lanka.
Haneefa is among the millions of commuters who rely on the Metro for their daily commute to and from work as well as for errands.
“I am new to Dubai and my job requires me to travel a lot. There is no other way I could do my job quickly and efficiently without the Metro. Metro has been my lifeline. I spend around three hours daily on train travelling between Jebel Ali and Deira, it’s a blessing,” said Arsalan Naite, a sales executive with Limitless Logistics.
The Metro has brought about a drastic change in the way the city moves over five years. In a city where people were reliant on personal cars to travel around, it’s nothing short of a revolution that even salespersons whose job requires them to be on the road constantly are doing without cars.
“For a salesman getting a job with a driving licence was impossible until recently. I have come here before and tried for a job unsuccessfully because I couldn’t drive. But recently I got a job and I’m going around comfortably on the Metro, though I would prefer getting a licence and using a car. The Metro has been really helpful,” said Mustafa Salah, an Egyptian salesman, who deals in safety equipment and goes door-to-door for his job.
What is so special about the Metro is that it has been able to infiltrate every segment of the society.
Sheena Sacro, a Filipina teacher, prefers using the Metro over the school bus.
“I stay in Deira and the Metro station is close to my house. I save a lot of time using the Metro and it’s more comfortable. I’m proud to be part of the Metro journey,” said Sheena, who works with GEMS Wellington School.
And it’s not just the residents who are in love with the world’s largest driverless Metro network.
Angolan engineer Yodato Gomes is in Dubai on a business trip and he is in awe of what he has seen so far.
“This is my first trip to Dubai and I just love it, especially the Metro. I studied in Europe and I have travelled a lot and used mass transit systems across most major cities, but I haven’t seen anything better than this. It’s incredible and, importantly, it’s comparatively cheaper,” said Gomes.
