The Rail Agency at the Roads and Transport Authority, RTA, has approved the final version of the Railway Protection Code of Practice in Dubai.
The code enables the agency to adopt a practical methodology for protecting the right of way of railways from third-party projects and works such as those of contractors and consultants operating in the emirate.
Commenting on the code, Abdul Mohsin Ibrahim Younes, CEO of the Rail Agency, said, “This Code of Practice aims to protect the infrastructure of rail facilities in Dubai and forms an integral part of the legal structure of the Executive Council Resolution No. 01 of 2017 regulating railways in the emirate.
“The Code of Practice is a key tool that details the requirements for practising restricted activities within the rail protection zones as stipulated in the Executive Council Resolution No. 01 of 2017 regulating railways in Dubai. It is based on assessing risks and conducting engineering analysis of all restricted works and activities that have the potential of causing a direct or indirect impact on the integrity of the railway infrastructure.”
He went on to say that open meetings will be held with representatives of contracting and consultancy companies to familiarise them with this Code of Practice. “We have achieved the main objective of revising the code through addressing the limitations identified in the previous version. The new version takes into consideration similar cases and experiences of other countries as well as lessons learned from projects undertaken within the rail right of way in Dubai,” Younes added.
According to Younes, the Rail Agency has introduced updates to the final version of the Code of Practice covering the requirements of shoring excavations and dewatering works within the Rail Protection Zones.
“Updates included identifying the potential risks resulting from such activities, which may impact the infrastructure of railway stations and bridges. The revised version has set precautions and measures to be taken to mitigate these risks, and identified the requirements for connecting some development works with the structures of a railway station, which requires examining the change in the load values upon which the railway structures had been designed,” he concluded.
Source: Emirates News Agency