Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said its Rail Agency has added six fare collection gates to the Business Bay Metro Station, thus raising the number of entry gates at the station from 4 to 10.

The step has been taken in response to the growing footfall at the station, which is in line with the sustained growth in demand for the metro service in Dubai fueled by ever-increasing demographic and urbanisation rates in the emirate, said a statement from RTA.

The move comes at a time when mass transit in general and Dubai Metro, in particular, is witnessing an exceptional demand from visitors and tourists especially on the eve of the New Year.

Mohammed Yousef Al Mudharreb, the director of rail operation at Rail Agency, said: "RTA is always keen to bring happiness and raise the satisfaction of clients from all spectrums of the community through providing advanced, safe and quick transit means enabling them to go about their business in the emirate and enjoy their daily rides of the metro, tram and others."

"About (506,345) riders used the entry gates at the Business Bay Station last November and (502,572) riders used the exit gates of the station during the same month," stated Al Mudharreb.

"The Dubai Metro project is a key and advanced infrastructural pillar cementing the profile of Dubai as a global business and financial hub. It forms a crucial component of mass transit systems that play a key role in satisfying the needs of the urbanisation rates witnessed by the emirate," he noted.

According to him, the metro service compliance with the scheduled journey timetables has reached 99 per cent, which is actually quite high.

"The Dubai Metro, on both the Red and Green lines, had been used by more than 178 million riders in 2015," stated Al Mudharreb.

The metro, he stated, was the backbone of a transport system that links vitals districts of Dubai and provides safe and smooth transport at high-class standards.

"The metro also contributes to the offering of integrated transit system capable of matching the sweeping development experienced by the Emirate and serving future ambitions as well," he added.-TradeArabia News Service