Qatar is advanced with its work on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) rail network, building a 146-km line from the border of Saudi Arabia to Mesaieed and the New Doha Port on the east cost, according to a report.
Meed’s 2015 special report pointed out that the push by GCC countries to build the GCC rail network in the coming years will continue to fuel the rapid development in the region's transport sector, said the Gulf Times report.
This first of four initial phases of the network is due to be completed in 2018, while the second phase, connecting Doha West International station to Bahrain and the Hamad International Airport, is scheduled for completion by 2021, it said.
The work on the Doha Metro is also pushing ahead with several sections now under execution, it added.
While rail projects are under development across the whole of Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, the GCC countries remain hot-spots for construction activity and investment, said the report.
The long-term ambition of providing a comprehensive rail network, together with the urgent need to tackle urban congestion, continues to drive activity in the sector, it said.
Last year, about $13.8 billion of rail contracts were awarded compared with about $36 billion in 2013, with several major projects set to move forward in the coming months, Meed said.
Meanwhile, the special report said that Saudi Arabia is set to dominate rail development in the region.
In addition to the Riyadh Metro, which has been fast-tracked in a bid to alleviate the gridlock that regularly afflicts the city; a metro is under development in Makkah, to meet the needs of growing numbers of pilgrims, it added.
Gulf Times
5 January
