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Metro reflects city's unique mix of fast pace and tourism |
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09.11.2009 |
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Dubai: A slice of the life in Dubai was caught on the Dubai Metro Thursday amid the excitement and enthusiasm about a service that could prove to be much more than another mode of transportation.
A father was seen guiding his young uniformed daughter as he held her school bag, telling her which station to get off. Businessmen in suits and with earphones were clutching reading materials as they waited for their next station. A salesman at a mall grinned as he told his friend that it was the first Metro experience of his life.
Some came with the realisation that the Metro is one of the few platforms where Dubai's mosaic of residents from all backgrounds and walks of life can interact; many exchanged their views of the Metro and their experiences with people they formerly considered strangers.
A number of people were surprised to see their friends on the train. Aside from Arabic and English, Malayalam, Hindi, Persian, Filipino, French and German, could also be heard.
While most passengers who spoke to Gulf News were there for the experience and in order to assess the services for future use, others had already incorporated it into their daily routine.
As with any Metro system in the world, some passengers were seen rushing into stations with their briefcases and handbags to get to work.
"Sorry, can't talk. Late for work!" said one of two women when asked where they were going.
Most however were using the Metro on the first day to test the routes and time their journeys for possible regular use of the Metro in the future.
The two women however had seemingly miscalculated the time it took to get to work.
Waleed, a graphic designer from Algeria, entered the station at 11am, a backpack slung on his shoulder.
"I'm just trying it out now but hope to use it more often when the rest of the stations open," he said.
Mariam, a Pakistani tour guide, waited for a train on the platform with a Japanese colleague, also a tour guide, planning routes for future journeys with tourists.
"This could definitely become part of our tours. The pictures of the city that tourists can take from the Metro are far better than those you can take from the double-decker buses we use.
"It just needs to be more reliable in terms of time," she said.
A passenger from India, unable to contain his excitement, had a smile on his face throughout his journey from the Mall of the Emirates station to Al Jafiliya station.
"It's only a matter of time until Dubai Metro is features in a Hindi movie. There's a Dubai craze in Bollywood as it is," he was heard telling his friend. "I can't believe how much easier it would be for us to travel on this train," he enthused. "This is a gift for us".
Mohammad Naji, an Emirati, said he would "forget about [his] car" once the new stations open.
"It's cheaper and you don't need to look for parking," he said. "I'll probably just use my car to go to work and back".
While most passengers at Dubai airport's Terminal 3 station were getting off, Gulf News caught up with an arriving passenger who was getting on the train.
Stephanie, a flight attendant, said she had been away for five days.
"I got down at the airport and noticed that the Metro was open so I decided to try it. There's a station right at my destination so it works well for me," she said.
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Source:www.zawya.com |
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