ABU DHABI, 27th February, 2023 (WAM) — A UAE-based newspaper has said that with the country's nationwide rail network – which is steadily gearing up to connect all seven emirates and to transport more than 36 million people – Etihad Rail will, by 2030, change the landscape of the country.
In an editorial on Monday, The National said, “The passenger rail is one aspect that will change the way we travel, plan our days and reduce the time we spend on the road. An infrastructure project that includes a 1,200-kilometre railroad track – necessarily changes the way a country functions.”
But a less visible but perhaps more important aspect of the project is the boost it will provide to the national economy – via the goods that will be transported at great speed. Just two days ago, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated the UAE's freight train network, marking an important moment for the country's development.
The strategic gains that Etihad Rail will usher in, including connecting four major ports, seven logistics centres and transporting 60 million tonnes of goods every year at a speed of 120kph, will advance not just the UAE economy but that of its neighbours. As Sheikh Mohammed said during the inauguration, “Connecting the Emirates via a national railway network strengthens our capabilities and competitiveness, and consolidates our unity.”
“The progress in construction that has been increasingly visible throughout the country over the past two years has left residents with a sense of excitement and expectation, as it signals a future that will continue to reinvent the country and its economy, and by extension, benefit their lives. Beyond this, any big national project, is often a matter of pride for a country and its people,” the paper added.
Back in 2009, when Etihad Rail was established, the idea of a national rail network linking key ports and cities was keenly and widely anticipated. The difference now is seeing that dream take shape, with 75 percent of the network complete, linking the UAE with the borders of Saudi Arabia up to Oman. As any student of history will have learnt, a rail network does what few other infrastructure projects can for a country in terms of connection and economic dynamism.
The UAE already has top-of-the-line air and road networks, with national carriers that habitually top global rankings. The country has an esteemed space programme that, with good reason, is also a matter of national pride.
Now it has a rapidly growing rail network that, given the railways' universal status as a game changer for a country's development journey, will be an asset. Etihad Rail will contribute to supporting the UAE economy to a value of AED200 billion and save AED8 billion in road maintenance costs. And as people living in the country and outside flock to it, the resulting tourism benefits are estimated at AED23 billion.
“What we're seeing is a landmark journey towards completion of what will soon be a historic national achievement,” concluded the Abu Dhabi-based daily.