United Arab Emirates (UAE) finally moved a step ahead to offer better public transport system, launching Dubai's Metro for the public, at a glitzy ceremony amid laser lights and red carpets, by Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.

The city which boasts of having the world's tallest tower and man-made islands shaped like palms, added yet another feather to its cap by rolling out the metro rail.

Inaugurating the metro on Wednesday night amid fireworks and a live telecast across the Gulf, Mr. Rashid said: "This is an achievement for all Arabs."

He said that second lane will be completed by next year, besides the red lane opened on 09/09/09 with 10 out of 29 stations operational. The city, having gas-guzzling cars, has now started paying increased attention to the transport segment, with this launch of the world's longest driverless rail system built by a Japanese consortium in just four years.

The first in the Gulf Arab region, however, brought low celebration in the city given to global financial crunch that adversely impacted its growth story. Time will decide how many city's residents give up their 1m air-conditioned cars to travel through public transport system.