Construction International News - July 2013
Riyadh Metro Development Contract Awards
Posted by Paul Fiddian - Construction International Reporter on 29/07/2013 - 07:50:00
Three development contracts worth a combined $22.5bn have been awarded by the Saudi Arabian Government. All involve the design and construction elements of the first metro system in Riyadh - the country's capital city.
The Riyadh Metro will comprise of six lines covering a total distance of 110 miles. On them, electric trains will operate regular services and, according to officials, the Riyadh Metro out-scales all other public transport systems now being developed.
The first Riyadh Metro development contract went to a consortium headed by Bechtel Corp. Working alongside AECOM, Aktiengesellschaft and others, Bechtel will work on two of the lines, while a Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas consortium will develop three more and Ansaldo STS, along with its partners, is tasked with the final line.
Riyadh Metro Contracts
Separately, the three Riyadh Metro contracts are worth $9.45 million, $7.82 billion and $5.21 billion, respectively. Design work begins right away, with the construction phases scheduled to start in Q1 2014. On that basis, project completion is expected in 2019.
According to Ibrahim Bin Muhammad Al Sultan, who heads the task force overseeing this programme, the Riyadh Metro "will be a major driver of employment and economic development" and will also help "...reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality."
Riyadh Metro Development
The Riyadh Metro is but one of several Saudi Arabian transport infrastructure development programmes being progressed right now. In 2012, $16.5bn in funding was allocated to give Mecca better transport links while also being built is a direct rail line between Riyadh and the edge of Jordan - a distance of 2,750 kilometres.
As far as the Riyadh Metro is concerned, a forecast population growth of two million people over the coming decade makes its introduction vital, officials say.
"This is the biggest infrastructure project to be undertaken in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and is a cornerstone of the bold future we envision for our city", Ibrahim Bin Muhammad Al Sultan concluded.
Image copyright Konstantinos Stampoulis - Courtesy Wikimedia Commons. Used solely for representational purposes
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