Al Shindagha Tunnel (

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

: نفق الشندغة) is a tunnel in

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at t ...

. Opened on 19 December 1975, it is the oldest and the busiest tunnel where 55,000 vehicles travel through the tunnel both directions daily. It goes under

Dubai Creek Dubai Creek ( ar, خور دبي, Khūr Dubay) has been described as a natural saltwater creek, tidal inlet, and watercourse or waterway in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). It extends about inwards and forms a natural port that has traditional ...

to connect the neighborhoods of Al Ras,

Deira Deira ( ; Old Welsh/Cumbric: ''Deywr'' or ''Deifr''; ang, Derenrice or ) was an area of Post-Roman Britain, and a later Anglian kingdom. Etymology The name of the kingdom is of Brythonic origin, and is derived from the Proto-Celtic *''daru' ...

and

Al Shindagha Al Shindagha ( ar, الشندغة), sometimes spelled Al Shindagah or Al Shindaga, is a neighbourhood in the traditional centre of the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.http://www.dubai-travel-uae-guide.com/index.php?p=1_65_Dubai-past-Al-S ...

where it is the only underwater road crossing Dubai Creek. The tunnel has a total of four lanes (two in each direction), a height clearance of 5 meters and speed is limited at . Dubai Shindagha Tunnel Reopens

History

For many years the twin town of Deira and Al Ras were connected by a twin bridge which caused delays due to time lags in opening and closing of the vacuoles.

Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum ( ar, ٱلـشَّـيْـخ رَاشِـد بِـن سَـعِـيْـد آل مَـكْـتُـوْم, Ash-Shaykh Rāshid bin Sa`īd Āl Maktūm; 11 June 1912 – 7 October 1990) was the vice president ...

, Dubai ruler entrusted Sir William Halcrow and Partners to do a feasibility study to build a more direct link between the two towns. A bridge nearer to the sea was not possible, the reason being the same when the existing bridge were sited and William Halcrow and partners proposed a tunnel to be built. An added advantage of the tunnel would be its proximity to the Port Rashid which was also designed by William Halcrow and partners. Preliminary studies demonstrated the feasibility of both dry land and immersed methods of construction. The contractor company however elected to build the tunnel in the dry. Stage 1 envisages dredging back of Deira bank to form a new diverted channel for shipping and building of a coffer dam out in to the creek from the Shindaga. Stage 2 would be to create an island in the middle of the creek and reopen the original channel for shipping now between the island and the Shindaga, Close the new diverted channel. Then building a new coffer dam in the Deira bank and pump the area dry and start building the tunnel from the Deira side towards the island. Finally on completion the original bank and channel would be reinstated. It was inaugurated on 19 December 1975 by Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, the ruler of Qatar, in the presence of

Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan ( ar, زَايِد بِن سُلْطَان آل نَهْيَان, Zāyed bin Sulṭān Āl Nahyān; 6 May 1918 – 2 November 2004) was an Emirati politician, statesman, and philanthropist who served as ...

, the president of the

and

Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum ( ar, ٱلـشَّـيْـخ رَاشِـد بِـن سَـعِـيْـد آل مَـكْـتُـوْم, Ash-Shaykh Rāshid bin Sa`īd Āl Maktūm; 11 June 1912 – 7 October 1990) was the vice president ...

, the vice president of UAE and the ruler of Dubai.

Replacement

Due to the aging of the tunnel, the Roads and Transport Authority is planning to replace tunnel with a bridge. The bridge is set to have multiple lanes to improve the flow of traffic.

External links

Construction video of the tunnel

References

Tunnels in the United Arab Emirates Transport in Dubai Buildings and structures in Dubai Tunnels completed in 1975 Road tunnels {{Dubai-stub