(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
DOHA: About 50 percent of the 113-kilometer long tunneling works for Doha Metro has been completed with the help of 21 tunnel boring machines (TBM) that are advancing underground at full swing said a senior official of Qatar Rail on Tuesday.
Abdulla Abdulaziz Al Subaie Qatar Rail Managing Director said the Doha Metro project is advancing according to schedule with QR60bn worth of contracts awarded to nine joint ventures.
Al Subaie made the remarks as he gave a speech before the fourth annual Qatar Transport Forum which he said comes at time where Qatar is at the center of construction activities related to the global transportation sector with $44bn in transport projects currently under construction and $35bn in projects due to be awarded over the next three years.
"Qatar Rail is proud to have been entrusted with a massive share of this unprecedented development building a world-class efficient public transportation system that includes three interconnected projects – the Doha Metro the Lusail Light Rail Transit project and the Long Distance rail project" Al Subaie said.
"The Doha metro system construction works are phased over two stages the first of which sees the construction of three out of the four lines (Red Gold and Green) and 37 stations – with forecasts to open these lines to the public by late 2019" he added.
In executing its tunneling works the Qatar Rail managing director said the company has achieved a huge milestone by breaking the world record for the largest number of tunnel boring machines operating at the same time under one city.
"We received this recognition along with an international certificate from the Guinness Book of World Records. This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the tremendous efforts of Qatar Rail's team who has worked hard since the beginning to plan and execute our large scale and complex construction and drilling works and confront all major challenges that are faced everyday. I would also like to thank all the concerned parties and stakeholders who continuously seek to overcome the obstacles and difficulties for the success of the Doha Metro project" Al Subaie said.
In parallel construction works for the Lusail Light Rail Transit are well underway. When completed the project will enhance the capacity and efficiency of circulation and commutes within Lusail and provide opportunities to create a more dynamic and eco-sensitive urban environment he added.
"We are also proceeding with the development of the long distance passenger and freight rail network that will tie into the GCC rail system. This will form an important part of Qatar’s gateway for commerce and trade activity in the GCC becoming a driving force for the Qatari economy. The project encourages intra-GCC trade which currently records an annual growth of 5 percent and will increase with the Long Distance Trains. When finished the Long Distance project will run for a total of 2200 km from Kuwait to Saudi Arabia Bahrain Qatar the UAE and the Sultanate of Oman. Each train will carry the same amount of freight as 400 trucks" AL Subaie said.