The new Dh37 million Al Ain bus station was opened by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohammed, the Ruler's Representative in the Eastern Region, on Thursday.

The facility houses administration offices, a waiting hall, prayer area and shops and boasts plenty of interactive information boards to help passengers find where they are going, said officials.

An extensive study had been carried out by the Department of Transport to find out the current and future requirements of public transport users as the number of passengers increased from about 3,000 a day in 2007 to more than 100,000 last year. The station has also been lauded as feat of design as well as functionality. Last year, the project was shortlisted for the best government building or facility of the year in the Middle East and Africa Interior and Architecture Award.

The station was designed as an interpretation of an Arabic tent and was built to blend into the surroundings – with natural colours that reflect Al Ain's landscape and the station's roof being lower than the surrounding palm trees. The structure reflects the cultural and architectural heritage of Al Ain, officials said.

Sustainable methods were used in its design to reduce energy consumption and create eco-friendly facilities – the roof has a double cloth fabric over the waiting area and the technology cuts the electricity needed to power air-conditioning.

Source :The National