AWCS told that Makkah aims to complete metro network in 10 years

The annual MEED Arabian World Construction Summit (AWCS) in Dubai today was told that the deadline for the completion of the 124-kilometre Makkah Metro is to be reduced to 10 years rather than by 2029 as originally planned.

“The clock for the project starts with the first shovel of soil,” said Makkah Public Transport Programme managing director Saad AlGadhi. AlGadhi is also chief executive officer of the Makkah Mass Rail Transit Company. Work on the project is due to start by the end of this year.

When completed, the metro will comprise four lines and will have 66 stations. It will connect with the station for the Mashaer rail system which serves holy locations during the Hajj period and the station for the high-speed Haramain railway linking Makkah, Medina and Jeddah.

The first phase of the project’s three phases, which is to be completed in three years, has been divided into four separate contracts.

Bids for the first two contracts, which cover civil works, are due to be received in July. Bids for the third contract, which is for communications and other systems, is due to be called later this year.

AlGadhi said that it has been decided that the fourth contract, which is for rolling stock, won’t be put out to competitive tender.

“We have identified top-quality rolling stock manufacturers,” AlGhadhi said. The selection will be based on negotiations.

Bus plans for Makkah include a bus rapid transit network. The network’s first phase will comprise 12 routes and will be serviced by up to 500 buses.

The supporters of the AWCS 2014

  • HSBC and CPC are strategic event partners.
  • Hyder and Six Construct are Gold partners.
  • Agis, Mashreq and Projacs are Silver sponsors and Deloitte is Knowledge Partner.
  • EC Harris Built Asset Consultancy is Lunch Sponsor on day one and Bentley is CEO Forum sponsor.
  • Aksa, Drake & Scull, Hill International and Zurich are Conference Sponsors.

For full coverage of the AWCS 2014, see www.meed.com.