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Qatar Rail completes Doha Metro tunnelling work

DOHA, September 27, 2016

Qatar Rail has announced the successful completion of all tunneling work on the Doha Metro project with the final breakthrough taking place at Terminal One of Hamad International Airport (HIA) this week.

The first tunnel boring machines started the work in July 2014 and the final 111th km was crossed by TBM "Msheireb" on the southern part of Red Line of this landmark mega project.

According to Qatar Rail, the tunneling milestone was achieved three months ahead of the deadline, thanks to the active deployment of 21 tunnel boring machines at the project site.

Celebrating the feat at HIA station was Sheikh Abdulla Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister and Interior Minister of Qatar, Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transport and Communications and vice chairman of Rail Steering Committee at Qatar Rail along with Abdulla Al Subaie, the managing director and chairman of the executive committee at Qatar Rail and its CEO Dr Saad Al Muhannadi.

In order to achieve 100 per cent of the tunneling for the Doha Metro project, a total of 470,497 concrete segments were required to produce 70,071 tunnel rings to make the 111km of tunnels. The overall completion of Doha Metro currently stands at 50 per cent.

Al Sulaiti said the Doha Metro project would form the vital backbone of the integrated public transport system of Qatar, supported by other key projects such as the Lusail Light Rail Transit and the Long Distance Passenger and Freight Rail, to encourage the use of public transport and services.

The completion of tunneling work for Doha Metro, he stated, brings the company a step closer towards making this landmark megaproject operational, as per the set timeline and budget, highest quality standards, use of eco-friendly technologies and best international standards.

In his comments, Al Subaie said: "The end of tunneling marks an impressive milestone in the progress of construction of this important project, and therefore, I would like to congratulate all those involved in making this milestone happen."

"This is an incredible feat of engineering and I am especially proud that the tunnels have been built to a world-class standard with the very highest standards of quality and safety having been achieved," he added.

According to him, tunnelling for the Doha Metro began just over two years ago and has seen a record breaking 21 TBMs work to achieve this milestone.

The Doha Metro project is a vital part of Qatar's long term plan to support a growing economy while improving the lives of the country's residents. The achievement of this significant milestones brings us one step closer to its much anticipated delivery."

"It has been made possible due to the combined efforts of the entire Qatar Rail team and joint venture contractors," he added.

Commenting on the achievement, Dr Al Muhannadi said this is yet another major milestone for the project and one that has been achieved on plan and to schedule.

"Until now 7.5km of above ground tracks viaducts have been installed and base slab and foundations have been completed on 33 stations," he stated.

Roofs have been completed on eight stations and roof slabs are progressing at 27 different stations, the official said.

"We are delighted to have been able to achieve all this within the timelines and budgets allocated and this is due to the hard work and dedication of all parties involved. We look forward to sharing many more milestones with you, especially the arrival of the Doha Metro train mock up later this year," said Al Muhannadi.

He pointed out that though tunneling had been completed, much still remained to be done.

"Now that tunneling is over,, we are moving to the laying of the tracks, awaiting the arrival of the train mockups, and working on the completion of the interiors of the stations with mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) works," he stated.

The first phase of the Doha Metro project is likely to be completed in the next four years. Also by then, Doha Metro's 37 metro stations are expected to be operative, with an average journey time of two minutes between adjacent stations.

By 2030, all the three networks - Doha Metro, Lusail Tram and the long-distance rail, which will link Qatar with the GCC Rail network - will be ready, he added.-TradeArabia News Service




Tags: project | tunnelling | Doha Metro | Qatar Rail |

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