Infrastructure
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INFRASTRUCTURE The new era of economic transition is characterised by public-private partnerships that are playing key roles in infrastructure development. 165 INFRASTRUCTURE The booming UAE economy, as outlined in the previous chapter, is fuelling infrastructure development on an unprecedented scale. This has been depicted as a ‘new era of economic transition’, characterised by a public-private partnership that is gradually taking over the role traditionally held by government in infrastructure development. Housing, tourist, industrial and commercial facilities, education and healthcare amenities, transportation, utilities, communications, ports and airports are all undergoing massive redevelopment, radically altering the urban environment in the UAE. Reform of property laws has also added impetus to urban development. URBAN DEVELOPMENT ABU DHABI Housing, tourist, In Abu Dhabi more than US$100 billion (Dh367 billion) will be industrial and invested over the next four to five years on infrastructure commercial projects. In addition to major investment in energy and industry, facilities, plans include a new airport, a new world-scale port and education and industrial zone in Taweelah, another port and industrial zone healthcare at Mussafah, the 11,000-unit Showayba City at Mussaffah, amenities, Mohammed bin Zayed City, the completion of several projects at transportation, Shahama, Khalifa Cities A and B, and the building of massive utilities, mixed-use communities on Saadiyat Island, Reem Island, Lulu communications, Island and at Al Raha Beach. Many of these projects will also go ports and some way towards meeting the infrastructural needs of a rapidly airports are all increasing and urbanised population. Abu Dhabi has embarked on a major undergoing Abu Dhabi has already embarked on a major remodelling of remodelling of buildings and roads in the massive city centre. Downtown Abu Dhabi is being buildings and roads in the city centre. Downtown Abu Dhabi is redevelopment, redefined by the Central Market mixed-use being redefined by the Central Market mixed-use redevelopment, radically altering redevelopment, costing in the region of costing in the region of Dh2.6 billion. This is scheduled for the urban Dh2.6 billion. completion in early 2008, but the first phase of the project, the souq area, could be handed over to the original owners by the environment in end of 2007. the UAE. @www.uaeinteract.com/urban 166 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES YEARBOOK 2007 INFRASTRUCTURE 167 Abu Dhabi’s signature Corniche is a delightful seafront esplanade and recreational facilities. Shams Abu Dhabi is being developed on close to the heart of the city. Extensive new highways, bordered by 1.320 million square metres of Al Reem Island, off the northern shimmering skyscrapers, landscaped walks and play areas sweep coastline of Abu Dhabi Island. Predominately urban in character, past Mina Zayed and along the coast towards the Breakwater, the the Shams Abu Dhabi project will encompass residential and site of Marina Mall, a heritage centre and villas. In the wake of its commercial buildings, hotels, and leisure and recreation facilities. recent Dh300 million extension, at 47000 square metres, Marina Eight towers on the land entrance to Al Reem will form the Mall is now the largest retail development in Abu Dhabi. prestigious Gate project. The opening in 2005 of the exotic and luxurious Emirates Palace Al Raha Hotel on the white sandy beach to the east of the Breakwater bridge spearheaded the new enthusiasm in Abu Dhabi for Dredging and reclamation is also well under way on another tourism-related infrastructure development, much of which has major mixed-use development that will change the face of the already been discussed in the section on tourism and real estate emirate. Al Raha is the new gateway city district of Abu Dhabi on in the chapter on Economic Development. However, it is Abu the Abu Dhabi–Dubai road. Eight individual, carefully-designed Dhabi’s plans for its numerous offshore islands such as that precincts are planned on an area of 6.8 million square metres, to proposed for Saadiyat that have really caught the imagination. include 60 towers amid exclusive low-rise residential developments. Abu Dhabi’s Khor Al Raha will be the first precinct to be constructed. Creation of Island Projects Emirates Palace Hotel signature Corniche the land mass that will shape this prime waterfront development is The Saadiyat Island project is the largest single mixed-use obviously an integral part of this project. development in the Arabian Gulf. The intention is to transform the 27-square-kilometre natural island, just 500 metres offshore Exhibition Complex to the north-east of Abu Dhabi City, into a premier international Construction of a new exhibition complex under the auspices of tourist destination with spectacular beachfront. But this will also Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company is progressing be an integrated residential community with a full complement smoothly, with the first phase of the Dh8 billion project on Extensive new of commercial, leisure and tourism facilities, as well as civic and schedule to host the internationally recognised IDEX 2007 The opening in highways, cultural amenities. defence exhibition and conference. The complex is close to 2005 of the exotic bordered by Much of the island to the east is characterised by ecologically major hotel developments, a short distance from Abu Dhabi and luxurious shimmering sensitive mangrove reserves, which will be protected and also Airport, and approximately 75 minutes from Jebel Ali, Dubai. Emirates Palace skyscrapers, form a feature of the development. Quality conservation and Hotel on the white landscaped walks environmental practices will also be employed throughout the Roads and Public Transport sandy beach to and play areas development, including best practices for the conservation of Abu Dhabi Public Transport Department (PTD) is constantly the east of the sweep past Mina energy and water. updating the transportation element of its 20-year plan to meet Breakwater bridge Zayed and along Ground-clearing work commenced in May 2006. The Dh128 the challenges presented by the spiralling increase in traffic on spearheaded the the coast towards million (US$35 million) enabling works contract, which will clear Abu Dhabi’s roads: between 2001 and 2006 the total number of new enthusiasm the Breakwater, the way for the construction of infrastructure, is being carried vehicles, including trucks and buses, had increased by over a in Abu Dhabi for the site of Marina out by the Abu Dhabi-headquartered Al Jaber Group. quarter of a million, from 31,472 in 2001 to 237,891 on 15 tourism-related Mall, a heritage Al Lulu Island adjacent to the Breakwater will be a new January 2006. Looking to the future, the PTD are also taking into infrastructure centre and villas. waterfront bustling with mixed-use commercial, residential, cultural account the impact of the massive new developments on the development. @www.uaeinteract.com/roads 168 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES YEARBOOK 2007 INFRASTRUCTURE 169 Abu Dhabi Traffic Police surrounding areas, some of which are described above. This DUBAI Dubai’s coastline is involves vastly improved road and bridge networks in Greater Massive infrastructural development has been taking place in being re-structured to maximise the extent of Abu Dhabi, including the islands of Saadiyat, Hodairiyat, Mishairib Dubai City for some time. Huge mixed-use complexes and seafront. and Lulu and the onshore satellite towns of Bani Yas, Shahama industrial, educational and medical cluster developments are and Al Wathba, as well as major redevelopment of the road under construction throughout the emirate, many of them, such Traffic on Abu network on Abu Dhabi Island, including the Corniche and internal as Dubai Waterfront and Dubai World Central, of gigantic Three ‘Palms’ Dhabi’s roads roads such as Hamdan, Khalifa, Al Salam, Falah and Hazza streets. proportions. Again much of this development has been fuelled increased Meanwhile, work continues on the much-needed Dh900 million by a promise of reform of the property laws that took place in are under significantly in (US$245 million) Abu Dhabi third crossing project, approach roads 2006 (see section on Real Estate in Economic Development). development by recent years. A and interchanges. Nakheel, Palm massive roads In addition, the transport plan envisages revamping the public Islands Jumeirah, Palm development transport system, including the provision of additional buses As discussed in the previous section of this Yearbook, the date- Jebel Ali and Palm project is under (together with air-conditioned bus stops), and restrictions on palm-shaped, man-made islands known as The Palm Jumeirah, Deira. In addition way to deal taxis in the central area. The most significant proposal, however, The Palm Jebel Ali and The Palm Deira, and the islands of 303 man-made with this issue. is the construction of a metro system that would eventually link ‘The World’ have significantly added to the landmass of Dubai islands have up with the Dubai Light Rail to ensure smooth travel for metro Emirate. Construction work on The Palm Jumeirah is advanced been built forming users between the two emirates. and residents commenced moving into properties there at the end ‘The World’. @www.uaeinteract.com/palms 170 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES YEARBOOK 2007 INFRASTRUCTURE 171 of 2006, five years after land reclamation began. This signals the Projects in Dubailand, categorised into six themed zones known end of phase one of construction, which includes approximately as worlds, include leisure and entertainment facilities, theme parks, 1400 villas on 11 of the island’s fronds and roughly 2500 shoreline shopping malls, hotels and resorts, restaurants and residential units. apartments within 20 buildings on the east side of the trunk. Several developments in Dubailand are in operation including Reclamation work on The Palm Jebel Ali commenced in October The Autodrome and the first phase of the Equestrian and Polo 2002 and a completion date for infrastructure is set for 2011.