DOHA: Works on Qatar Rail’s integrated railway project have witnessed remarkable progress after the Doha Metro Project started this year, says the Qatar Rail CEO.
“In a short time, Qatar Rail was able to sign many contracts exceeding QR30bn to start works of the Doha Metro Project. These were signed in May 2013,” Engineer Saad Ahmed Al Muhanadi told the opening of Public Transport and Large Events Workshop at Al Mirqab Hotel yesterday.
He was addressing participants from Qatar, Belgium, Germany, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and the UAE on developmental plans and work in progress for the country’s rail development.
“In this short period, we started works on more than 20 sites out of 25 dedicated to constructing stations. Excavation in some locations has reached five metres underground. The enabling works are being undertaken in other locations, so the first stage is expected to finish in 2019,” said Al Muhanadi.
The Metro length will be around 230km, and its speed will be 80km per hour inside cities.
“The Lusail Light Rail Transit has achieved substantial progress; 100 percent of tunnelling works have been completed, and the structures of the stations are 55 percent done,” he said.
About the Long Distance Passenger and Freight Rail, he said it has been subject to commercial assessment by technical consultants of the project. The distance covered is 510km, and the speed is expected to be between 220km and 350km per hour for passengers and 120km for freight.
Plans for next year and 2015 will include awarding of tenders of civil works for the Doha Metro lines, including the elevated and at grade lanes, awarding the project of systems and trains for the Doha Metro Project and the Lusail Light Rail Transit and the launch of the tender for the first phase execution for the Long Distance Passenger and Freight Rail. The Peninsula
