Doha Metro bidding process starts

Qatar, host of the 2022 football World Cup, invited local and international companies on yesterday to signal their interest in building the Doha Metro, to include 22km of tunnels and 15 stations in its first phase. A statement from Qatar Railways Company (QRail) gave no value for the project, but a company official said in June the total cost of the railway project, with 100 stations, would reach 130 billion riyals (Dh131.1 billion). "This invitation is a major opportunity for local contracting companies to join in consortia with large international contractors to design and build six urgent construction packages that include 22km of underground tunnels [and] 15 underground stations in the first stage," QRail CEO Sa'ad Ahmad Al Muhannadi said in a statement. The world's top liquefied natural gas exporter, which has not seen popular unrest like that elsewhere in the Arab world this year, plans to spend over $125 billion (Dh459.1 billion) in the next five years on construction and energy projects. The Opec member's economy is forecast to grow strongly. "QRail is extending this invitation to all contractors with experience in the design and construction of railways, including both major underground and elevated civil works, to help build Qatar's planned railways and create a metro system for Doha," the statement said. "Enabling works which include roads and utilities diversion will be particularly critical and the Qatar Railways Company is looking to partner with contractors who can showcase relevant capabilities and experience in this area." The six Gulf Arab states, including the UAE, plan to spend more than $100 billion on a rail project linking them up by 2017. From/ Gulf News