By RIA Novosti,
Abu Dhabi : The construction of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Dubai skyscraper in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, may be completed later than expected, the National newspaper has reported.
It was earlier announced that the building, which currently stands at 818 meters (2,684 feet), could be officially opened on September 9 to coincide with the launch of the Dubai metro, the first on the Arabian Peninsula. Construction of the skyscraper began in 2004, and the building became the world’s tallest last April.
“The contractors said work still needed to be completed outside and inside the building and the new deadline was December,” the paper said, citing the project’s contractors. The report added that more details would be “provided in due course.”
The Burj Dubai skyscraper is being built by the UAE’s leading developer, Emaar Properties, along with another local company Arabtec, as well as South Korea’s Samsung and Belgium’s Besix. The final height of the building has not yet been confirmed, although reports say it could be extended by another 70 meters.
The construction of Burj Dubai, estimated as costing more than $1 billion, is a part of a $20-billion project in Dubai’s new downtown area.
However, the completion of many development projects in Dubai has been delayed by the current economic recession and falling oil prices.
Emaar is also expected to be chosen to manage the construction of the next record-breaking building, the 1-km Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.