The Qatar Railways Development Company will invite the first Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for the underground work of the Qatar Rail Network project next month, a slight delay from the expected date of tendering in April 2012, an official told Zawya on condition of anonymity, without specifying a date.
As many as 70 global companies had expressed their intent to bid for various parts of the metro project, of which 35 have pre-qualified, the official said. All companies intending to participate would need a local partner, the person said.
Qatar is aiming to complete the first phase of the railway in time for the 2020 Olympics in the event it wins the bid to host the event. The country has been on an accelerated program to complete the metro project before the Fifa World Cup 2022.
The USD 42.9 billion metro system will be built in four phases. Phase 1A aims to be ready by 2019, the official said. This involves 52 kilometers of track and 26 stations. Most of the track will be laid underground except for the suburban districts.
The project aims to integrate Qatar's various planned railways into a comprehensive and consolidated national railway system, and is part of the government's plan to connect Qatar to other GCC countries, according to the Zawya Projects Monitor.
Zawya
27 May
