On Friday, a well-known daily of UAE reported that after the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) failed to promise opening dates for all its stations, a chain of convenience stores has pulled out of opening retail outlets at Dubai Metro stations.

The newspaper reported, while quoting a company official, that a bid had been won by the Last Minute convenience stores for 28 locations on Dubai Metro; however, when it could get no written assurances as to when the stations would be opened, it withdrew from 18 spots.

A Last Minute official told the newspaper: “They don’t know exact dates when the stations will open, or when all the stations are going to be active. So in this condition, we cannot work.”

He explained that the RTA had said that only eight of the 27 stations on the Red Line would open by the scheduled date of Sep 9th.

A person familiar with project said, “As few as nine stations will be operational when the Dubai Metro launches next month despite transport authority claims to the contrary.”

He added: “More than nine stations will be ready by the Sept. 9 launch date, but due to required safety testing they will not open until the following month.”

It should be noted that the Red Line will hold capacity of 23,000 people per hour; while the Green Line, expected to open in 2010, will be able to shuttle 19,000 people per hour.