Water has begun to flow through the Dubai Canal for the first time. The man-made body of water is the biggest project in the Emirate of 2016.
The 2 billion dirham ($545 million) project has been in progress for some three years and is moving forward on schedule, according to Gulf News . It is slated for completion next month.
An official said that the release of water into the canal is part of an important testing process. The water level will increase over the next few weeks until it reaches the planned six meters of depth.
"Dubai Canal is on track and our monitoring system in place ensures the project is ready according to the set plan," Laila Taher Faraidoon, Executive Director of RTA Director General and Chairman of the Board Mattar Al Tayer’s Office, said.
The 3.2 kilometer canal connects Business Bay Canal and Dubai Creek and flows into the Arabian Gulf, transforming a major portion of Dubai into an island. The expansion and connection of Dubai's waterways will increase accessibility of marine vehicles throughout the emirate.
With the addition of 18 marine stations, some six million passengers are expected to use RTA marine transit to navigate Dubai and the surrounding manmade islands within the next couple of years.