Dubai Municipality is working on the biggest tunnel in the region, named the “Strategic Deep Tunnel Stormwater System”. Expected to finish before 2020, the 10.5Km long tunnel will be benefiting areas like Airport city, Expo 2020, and all development projects in Jebel Ali.

Emirati engineers overseeing the project are proud to have completed 50% of it in two million hours, and with no accidents or injuries.

Eng.Fahed Ahmed AlAwadhi, Director of the Drainage Projects Department, said that the project will save 25% less energy and cost 25% less than the traditional method. He stated that they made sure the team members chosen were the most skilled and experienced. He continued to detail that members underwent extensive training, and worked on a prototype of the original tunnel to be able to study the project before starting it.

Eng.Adel Ali AlJasmi, Head of Planning & Design of Drainage Projects Section, said that participants of this development have traveled to different cities around the world to explore and study similar projects.  They have been to London, Singapore, Abu Dhabi and various cities in the United States.

Eng.Mohammad Mansoor Karim, Planning & Design of Drainage Systems Engineer, explained that the digging machine TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) is quite advanced, and it works by placing the concrete rings around the tunnel for full support and water leakage prevention. The installation of these rings requires extreme accuracy and precise measurements.

Eng. Shaikha Ahmad AlShaikh, Senior Planning & Design of Drainage Systems Engineer, further clarified that  "We need about 20 people from different disciplines to operate the TBM,”.

"The goal is to complete this project by 2020, so the team is working 24/7 on it to complete the required work, while ensuring the quality of the project lasts for 100 years to come" she added.

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