Eager commuters jump the gun

Captivated by the 09/09/09 launch, many travellers arrived hours too early because the opening day was for special guests only.

Like the other Metro stops, the Mall of the Emirates station remained closed to the public yesterday.

DUBAI // It was a measure of the excitement over the metro that a steady stream of commuters and tourists arrived at Metro stations across the city yesterday, seeking a ride, only to be told: Come back tomorrow. "I read in the papers it would be open on the ninth of the ninth, 09," said, Joesph Reyna, 32, who was on a four-day holiday from Austria. He was one of many who turned up at the Mall of the Emirates station hoping to ride the metro. "Now the security guard tells me I will not be able to take it until tomorrow, which is too late for me.

"I'll have to wait until the next time I'm here." Although the Roads and Transport Authority made much of launch day, with its 09/09/09 advertising campaign, it had not widely announced that the only passengers yesterday would be invited dignitaries and the lucky winners of the Golden Ticket competition. For everyone else, the service opens in full today. So throughout the day yesterday, security guards turned away eager commuters, tourists and inquisitive residents.

"We waited to visit Mall of the Emirates until today because we wanted to see Ski Dubai and then get the Metro," said Adam Owen, 43, from Britain. "We saw in the papers when we arrived and it looks a good system and would be better to ride it on the first day. We have to wait until tomorrow, then." Gary Wong, a 28-year-old financial adviser from Hong Kong, was planning to take the Metro to his office in Dubai International Financial Centre yesterday morning.

"I presumed the nearest open Metro to my apartment in the marina was Mall of the Emirates," he said. He usually takes a taxi to work every morning but yesterday decided to try commuting on the Metro. "I thought it was open but newspapers all had different reports about the number of stations open, but all said it would be open on the ninth," he said. He added that the security guard told him it would be open at nine. "'It will be open in a few minutes now,' he said just before 9am outside the entrance to Mall of the Emirates." But he was still there at 9.15am. "He must mean 9 o'clock tonight. I will have to get a taxi to work now."

Nal Naser, 31, from Pakistan, wanted to see the fruits of his labour yesterday morning. He has worked on insulating the platform doors in the stations. "I am a little disappointed now," he said after he learnt he would have to wait one more day. "They didn't say we would not be able to ride it on the first day. All I knew was it was open on the ninth." Only curious motorists took a detour from their morning commute to look at the Nakheel Harbour and Tower station from between 7am and 8am. The station is isolated from any developments and is only accessible by bus or car. Dubai Metro staff and police were turning back people who reached some of the other stations yesterday morning hoping to use the new service.

Several more stopped at their nearest station to ask about tickets and when they could board a train. "I thought it opened today," said Atir ur Rahman, an employee of a construction company who reached Al Rashidiya station at around 7.30am. "I was looking for the ticket counter but was surprised to know I can't travel today." He was not sure if he would use the Metro every day but just wanted to try it out. "I have to travel to Al Barsha area every day," he said.

Other stations including Al Rigga and the Union station remained largely deserted with occasional commuters stopping to take a look or enquire about its opening. "It looks very good from outside. I had made up my mind to stop and have a look at the station," said Suresh Rajgopal, a resident of Deira who was at the underground Union station. He plans to use the Metro for daily travel to Dubai International Financial Centre. Police at the station maintained that the service would be open to the public after 8pm.

Meanwhile, Metro staff were involved in final cleaning and polishing as they geared up for the public opening. Employees and staff were also seen taking group pictures in front of Metro stations as they celebrated the completion of the project. "Everyone has put a lot of effort into this, and we are thrilled that it is finally opening to the public," said a staff member at Union station. Nobody at the RTA was available for comment yesterday afternoon.

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