Dubai’s glorious coastline is set to get a major boost later this year with the completion of Emirate’s longest Corniche slated for November.

More than 14km of tracks will stretch the length of the shoreline from Dubai Marine Beach Resort in Jumeirah, to Burj Al Arab, and will come in at a cost of Dhs100 million. Government officials behind construction of the Dubai Corniche hope the new jogger-friendly pathways will encourage residents to improve their health and fitness regimes. 

In a statement, the RTA said: “This urban project is undertaken in response to the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make people happier. Shaikh Mohammad considers sport a key element in building the community and having healthy individuals capable of adding to the development drive.

“Besides offering a value-added aesthetic and comfortable relaxation destination, the project commands special importance as it contributes to the improvement of the social infrastructure in the emirate, particularly as regards the quality of the public health of the community in terms of providing wider opportunities for practising jogging and walking sports as well as a host of water sports such as swimming and rowing, among others.”

The area around the five-metre wide track, which will be lit by ‘stylish and creative lighting’, will also be transformed into a place where residents can relax, enjoy food and retail kiosks, as well as take in the stunning views of the sea.

The push for an improved health and fitness attitude across the UAE stems from figures released in 2012 which put the Emirates as the fifth heaviest nation in the world, according to a study published by a BMC Public Health journal. Diabetes also continues to be a problem.