by Gerhard Hope www.constructionweekonline.com
A major MEP contractor involved with the Dubai Metro has expressed its confidence that the flagship project will achieve its target completion date of 09/09/09.
Al-Futtaim Engineering has been responsible for all the MEP works at the Rashidiya, Al Ras and Jebel Ali train depots.
“Our area of responsibility encompassed the car parks around these areas, the complete electro-mechanical works, and of course all the scaffolding and building products at all the stations and depots,” explained managing director Dawood Bin Ozair.
Ozair added that the deadline of 09/09/09 is “very tight, but achievable”, with all contractors committed to achieving this date.
“The Dubai Metro project has been very challenging from the MEP side, as we had to propose all the initial specifications based on our own experience,” said the executive, who also indicated that the contract had been carried out in line with the stringent requirements of the JT Metro JV, which comprises Turkish and Japanese contractors and consultants.
“The Dubai Metro is the first of its kind in the region, let alone the UAE, so there was no model to follow, as with a shopping mall, for example. In addition there were complicating factors such as underground stations and tracks, which posed specific MEP and cooling-system challenges,” Ozair observed.
