Etihad Rail said it has completed the work on all nine tunnels within the national rail network two months ahead of schedule and according to the highest standards of safety and sustainability.. 

 

These tunnels have been constructed across the northrn emirates of Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah as part of Package D of Stage Two of the UAE National Rail Network. 

 

The network will support the development of the transport and logistics system, which will enhance the UAE’s journey for the next fifty years, it stated.

 

Etihad Rail said the completion of the tunnel excavation work recorded one million working hours. The project was supervised and carried out by more than 600 experts, specialists, and workers using the latest tunnelling machinery and modern technologies, said the company in a statement. 

 

The company took a series of precautionary measures to limit the noise and vibrations caused by excavation using the explosive blasting methods and their impact on nearby communities, using innovative machinery and equipment that helped overcome these challenges effectively.

 

HH Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Member of the Federal Supreme Council and Ruler of Fujairah and Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, lauded the efforts of Etihad Rail to carry out the tunnelling works without impacting nearby communities, while upholding the highest measures of safety, security, sustainability and environmental protection.

 

The Emirati company had recently announced the completion of the construction works for Package A of Stage Two of the UAE National Rail Network, which extends over 139 km and connects Ghuwaifat with Stage One of the project, which extends over 264 km from Habshan to Ruwais. 

 

Etihad Rail Chairman Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan commended the efforts of  Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah and their unlimited support for the Etihad Rail project, one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the UAE and a primary contributor to the national economy. 

 

Sheikh Theyab affirmed that this achievement could not have been realised without the efforts and cooperation of all relevant authorities. 

 

"Our team managed to overcome major topographical challenges while excavating the tunnels and achieved this milestone without any accidents. This serves as a remarkable addition to the exceptional record of the UAE National Rail Network in terms of safety," he stated. 

 

"Through these milestones, Etihad Rail continues to bolster its position as a success story for completing one of the major infrastructure projects in the UAE in accordance with the top international security and safety standards," he added.-TradeArabia News Service