Dubai has announced plans to set up 400 air-conditioned bus shelters across the UAE emirate and also refurbish a few existing bus stations as part of its new development strategy, said a report.

Under this new plan, Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) aims to have 1,200 shelters and stops ready within the next two years, reported the Emirates24/7, citing a top official.

The work on these shelters and bus stops will be implemented in three stages, it added.

"The design of the first 400 shelters has been completed, and construction work of these shelters is expected to start in the second half of 2015," said Youssef Al Ali, CEO of the Public Transport Agency at RTA.

"The first 400 shelters are planned to be completed by the end of this year, while all 1,200 are expected to be built by 2017," he added.

Besides this, the RTA has plans to refurbish 16 stations in Dubai over the next four years. Work on some of these stations has already started, stated the report.

“In 2014, we commenced work on Burj Khalifa-Dubai Mall station, Abu Hail station, Etisalat station and Rshidiya Station. This year the bus station at the Mall of the Emirates will be refurbished,” revealed Al Ali.

The other stations included in the project are at Al Qusais which will be refurbished by 2016, Sabkha, Deira City Centre, Jebel Ali I and Union (2017), Gold Souk and Ibn Batuta (2018) and Al Karama, Al Satwa, Al Quoz and Al Ghubaiba (2019).

Although Dubai Metro, Dubai Tram and several sea vessels have been added to the public transportation network, buses still form an essential part of this network with new communities often being the focus of expansion plan, he added.