Post by : Mumtaaz
Qadiri
A major road in Sharjah has been closed to traffic for two months because of construction work related to the Etihad Rail project. The Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced that the road connecting Mleiha Road and Sharjah Ring Road, near the University Bridge, will stay closed until August 30. This road is used by many people every day, especially those traveling towards Emirates Road. The RTA said this closure is necessary so that the work for the Etihad Rail project can continue smoothly and safely.
The Sharjah RTA posted this update on social media platform X (previously called Twitter). In the post, they asked drivers to use other roads during this time. They also reminded everyone to follow traffic safety rules. The aim is to avoid accidents and keep traffic flowing as smoothly as possible. Since this is a busy road, many people will be affected, and they are being advised to plan their journeys in advance.
The Etihad Rail project is a large transportation project in the UAE. It will connect all seven emirates by train and link the UAE to other Gulf countries. As part of this plan, a passenger train station will be built in Sharjah. This was first announced in March last year. The new station will be located near University City, which is an important area. It is close to Sharjah International Airport and has many schools and universities nearby. This makes it a perfect spot for a train station, as many students, teachers, and travelers will benefit from it.
Once the train service starts, it is expected to carry around 14,000 passengers every weekday. The trains will run at a speed of 200 kilometers per hour and can carry up to 400 passengers at a time. This means travel between cities will become much faster. For example, going from Abu Dhabi to Dubai will take only 57 minutes. A trip from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah will take about 105 minutes. This will save a lot of time for daily commuters and travelers.
In January, Etihad Rail also shared that there will be four main passenger stations in the first phase. These stations will be located in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Fujairah. They also announced plans to build a special high-speed electric train between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which will have its own stations. This is separate from the main railway line.
The work on Etihad Rail started in 2009. Since 2016, two tracks covering 264 kilometers have been running. These tracks are used to move granulated sulphur from gasfields in Shah and Habshan to the export terminal in Ruwais. When the full railway network is ready, it will connect the UAE to Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries like Oman. The full route will go from Fujairah Port to Ghuwaifat and pass through major ports like Khalifa Port and Jebel Ali.
This railway project is one of the biggest in the UAE and will change the way people and goods move across the country and beyond.
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