FNC asks about railroad legislation

One of the goals of the railroad project is to have guidelines and regulations in place by the end of this year.

ABU DHABI // Dr Abdullah Al Nuaimi, the Minister of Public Works and chairman of the Federal Authority for Land and Maritime Transport, was asked by Ali Al Nuaimi (Ajman) on Tuesday about the status of rules regulating railways in the UAE.

The authority has put in place several strategic performance barometers in regard to regulating land transport in the country, its laws and its competitiveness.

One of the goals is the completion of the legislations and guidelines that will regulate the national railway system. The deadline is the end of this year.

Mr Al Nuaimi said he made his initial query last year.

“I made my request in December 2014 when I learned that the Federal Authority was supposed to be done with its legislation this year. But as you’ve heard from his excellency the minister they’ve only completed 70 per cent of the required work.”

He emphasised the importance of completing the legislation.

“It’s common knowledge that such a project is of great importance for the lives of citizens across the UAE. It will also fix problems that are facing residents in the country such as daily morning traffic jams and pollutants in the atmosphere.

“This is the first time that we have legislation for railroads,” the minister said. “In 2013 we started working on our first draft and in 2014 we received approval from the cabinet to continue with our efforts to complete the legislation. We completed 70 per cent of the railroad laws. The guidelines only remain now before the final step of having to activate the law through the ministry of justice.”