“There are different layers of staff monitoring the operations,” he said.
Round-the-clock operations
The control room operates with military precision through three distinct layers of supervision. The first layer monitors daily performance and operations during service hours from 5am to midnight (till 1am on Saturday morning and on special occasions).
The entire metro network has been categorised into various segments, said Al Mutawa.
“For each segment, there is a dedicated agent or staff looking into the activities within the trains and the stations. In case of any failure or incident, the agent or the staff will directly act based on the procedures and the protocol of resuming the service.”
The second layer focuses on depot operations, monitoring maintenance areas and tracking alarms across Dubai Metro’s extensive network. A third layer comprises duty managers who oversee all daily activities.
Coordinated security response
Working closely with Dubai Police, the control centre coordinates security responses across the network. “We are monitoring the operation in coordination with the police. If any incident happens, we have the control at this control centre here, and they [the police] directly communicate with the staff they have in the station,” explained Al Mutawa.
Access to the control room operated by Dubai Police is highly restricted, and as a result, media representatives were not permitted entry.
Technology at work
The OCC leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive technology to maintain Dubai Metro’s impressive 99.7% on-time performance, ranking it among the world’s top five metro systems.
“We have some golden assets. We have installed some sensors to know the condition of these assets, and we know if any failure will happen or not,” pointed out Al Mutawa.
This remote condition monitoring system allows staff to take proactive measures before failures occur. The centre also monitors more than 10 subsystems supporting metro operations, along with station fire systems, lighting, lifts and environmental sensors that check temperature levels.
Flood response overhaul
The 2024 floods marked the biggest challenge in Dubai Metro’s history, prompting a complete overhaul of emergency response procedures. As the metro celebrated its 16th anniversary on September 9, Al Mutawa reflected on lessons learned from that unprecedented event.
“The flood was a new experience in Dubai. It never happened before and thank God we managed to get the services back on track very soon.”
In April 2024, unprecedented rainfall in Dubai, the heaviest in 75 years, led to major flooding that severely disrupted the Dubai Metro network. Some stations on both the Red and Green Lines were forced to close temporarily.
Enhanced emergency preparedness
Following the floods, Al Mutawa said the RTA has completely revamped its emergency response protocols. “At RTA and the Rail Agency, we learn from the lessons. Preparing a full plan for any natural emergency is now a priority for us — whether it’s rain, humid, or even windy days,” he said.
The new emergency plans undergo regular testing to ensure they are fit for purpose and can help maintain services during extreme weather events.
Continuous upgrades
The control centre constantly evolves with regular system upgrades and enhancements. Recent improvements include upgrades to the system for the train movement and the Nol card system that handles ticketing across Dubai’s public transport network.
“We are constantly updating the system. We are upgrading the back-end system to prevent any issues from happening during operations,” Al Mutawa said.
