The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said the Dubai Government's general budget endorsed by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, had confirmed that Dubai is well on track in undertaking infrastructure development projects - the key development driver of any city worldwide.

About 17 per cent of the budget has been allocated to infrastructure projects. said the statement from RTA.

About 50 per cent of RTA’s budget has been allocated to the construction of road and mass transit system projects in a bid to provide a first-class infrastructure that contributes to realising the authority's vision of Safe & Smooth Transport for All, remarked Mattar Al Tayer, the director-general and chairman of the board of executive directors at RTA.

RTA has stepped up the efficiency of its budget by augmenting revenues, which witnessed a healthy 13 per cent growth rate compared with last year's levels, contributing to an operational surplus of about Dh4 billion ($1.1 billion).

"In 2017, RTA will complete the construction of several projects currently under way such as the Airport Improvement Road costing about Dh404 million, Umm Al Sheef and Latifa bint Hamdan Street costing Dh501 million, and the Academic City Street Improvement Project costing Dh474 million," he noted.

Projects also include the intersection of Sheikh Rashid Road with Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed costing about Dh611 million, upgrading roads network around Expo 2020 costing about Dh3.2 billion, and the Enterprise Command and Control Center (EC3) project to be opened in the first half of 2017.

According to him, there is also a portfolio of new projects highlighted by Route 2020 project covering the extension of the Red Line of Dubai Metro up to 15 km comprising seven stations.

A strategic project is also set for construction to connect Dubai with Hatta through Lehbab in coordination with the Infrastructure Development Ministry at a cost of about Dh54 million, in addition to internal road projects in several residential communities, especially in Hatta, among other projects to be announced in early 2017, he added.-TradeArabia News Service