Source: www.steelguru.com
Contractors expect the procurement process for the Doha metro to start moving in December 2010 following results of Qatar’s FIFA World Cup bid.
One contractor said that “We believe to stimulate the procurement process for rail in Qatar it will be driven by the announcement of the 2022 World Cup. A lot depends on Fifa.” Another industry observer said that “If they (Qatar) get it then it will all be ready by 2020. If not, it will be delayed and they will maybe just do one line of the metro. The 2022 FIFA bid will play a prominent role in the speed of development of the rail network.”
Doha metro will eventually consist of four lines running 300 kilometers across the city. The Red line is the first line and is designed to run from Doha city to the New Doha International airport. Germany’s Deutsche Bahn signed a memorandum of understanding with local Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company to develop the design for the country’s USD25bn railway network in 2009.
The pair are in the process of forming the joint venture Qatar Railways Development Company, which will be responsible for managing all of the design and construction work for Qatar’s metro and rail projects. Deutsche Bahn will hold 49% of the new company while Qatari Diar will hold the remaining 51%.
