Mega Saudi project Qiddiya plans Riyadh airport metro link
RIYADH, December 10, 2020
Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya Investment Company is planning to develop iconic buildings within its ambitious entertainment, sports and the arts destination, and also connect Riyadh’s airport by Metro to the heart of Qiddiya’s City Centre, reported Argaam, citing its top official.
The company, which is backed by the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund PIF, is working with leading companies to build a 'disruptive destination,' offering a unique combination of innovative experiences in entertainment, sports and arts, said Kareem Shamma, Chief Development Officer of Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC).
There are also plans to connect Riyadh’s airport by Metro to the heart of Qiddiya’s City Centre, he added.
According to him, the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting economic situation have not had any significant detrimental impact on Qiddiya’s future plans or strategy. The first phase is all set to open in 2023.
Roughly a third of the 366 sq km of the land area of Qiddiya will be planned and developed in Phase One.
So far, the Saudi developer has awarded 10 construction contracts worth SR2 billion since the project launch and all of them have gone to local companies.
TradeArabia had earlier this year reported that three Saudi companies - Abdul Ali Al Ajmi, Shibh Al Jazira Contracting Company (Sajco) and Saudi Pan Kingdom Company (Sapac) had won key construction contracts for the mega QIC project.
As per the contract, Abdul Ali Al Ajmi would be responsible for the site foundations preparations for Qiddiya’s first major zones - the Resort Core, and the City Center - while Sajco will be responsible for construction of roads network and Sapac in charge of building security fencing around the entire premises.
The others who bagged the contract are Haif Bin Mohammed Bin Abboud Alqahtani & Partners For Trading Contracting, Freyssinet Saudi Arabia, Alkhorayef Water & Power Technologies.
"There are many contracts and tenders in the pipeline as we begin to deliver the built environment," stated the top executive.
"We have large scale on-going contracts with local companies for mass grading, roads and bridges, site security and other enabling works," said Shamma.
"We will be continuing with both heavy construction and developing strategic partnerships well into 2022, after which we move into the testing and commissioning phases ahead of our grand opening date in 2023, he added.
