Cyclists come out of the Houbara Tunnel.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The cycling underpass at Seih Assalam Road in Al Qudra, near the Last Exit Al Qudra, has been designated as Houbara Tunnel.

The move follows the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

In a touching gesture that reflected Sheikh Mohammed's concern for the wellbeing of humans and animals alike, Sheikh Mohammed, during a tour of construction works in 2017, had directed rerouting the cycling underpass at Seih Assalam Road to avoid disturbing the nesting settlement of houbara bustards in the area.

It shows Dubai’s and the UAE’s extensive efforts to protect endangered animal species and promote nature conservation.

The designation of the underpass highlights the special status that houbara bustards have in Emirati culture and its environment.

The construction of the Houbara Tunnel also highlights another Dubai achievement - the creation of an extensive cycling track network built as part of its efforts to become one of the world’s most cycling-friendly cities.

An important element of the cycling track at Seih Assalam and Al Qudra Road, the new underpass facilitates free movement of cyclists in both directions under Seih Assalam Road and links the cycling track parallel to Seih Assalam Road with the cycling track parallel to Al Qudra Road.

The underpass has been constructed according to the highest technical and traffic standards to ensure the safety of bikers. The track features public amenities, bike-rental outlets, cycling gear and a fully equipped medical clinic.

The total length of cycling tracks constructed in Dubai is 425 km as of 2020 end. RTA plans to build more cycling tracks that will increase the length of the network to 668 km by 2025.