The work on the $20 billion GCC rail project, which will connect all six Gulf states, is likely to be completed in 2020, two years behind the deadline set, said a report citing the chairman of the UAE’s Federal Transport Authority (FTA).

With some Gulf countries still in the tendering phase or just beginning work, the 2018 deadline is highly impossible, reported the Saudi Gazette citing Abdulla Belhaif Al Nuaimi, minister of public works and chairman of the FTA.
 
“Initially we set the deadline for 2018…but some countries might not deliver on time,” he stated.

However, Al Nuaimi pointed out that the UAE and Saudi Arabia were on track to complete their rail networks by 2018.

“The UAE and Saudi can meet the deadline. If that line is operational, then other countries can just add in their lines when they are ready and 2020 might be the appropriate date for all,” stated Al Nuaimi.

The minister had previously hinted that the UAE might look at initiating partial operation of the network if others  had a delay.

However such delays could also complicate the formation of laws needed to regulate the rail operations between the countries and ensure smooth travel, said the report.

Although Al Nuaimi did not specifically comment on rail regulations, he said that final laws will be put in place once all the countries have their own regulations.