Construction & Real Estate

Turk-Chinese consortium lands $5.6bn Dubai Metro contract

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has announced that a consortium of leading Turkish and Chinese companies - Mapa, Limak and CRRC - has secured the contract for the Dubai Metro Blue Line project being set up at an investment of AED20.5 billion ($5.6 billion).
 
The construction is slated to begin in April next year, with all works expected to be completed and operations officially commencing in September 2029. This milestone will coincide with the 20th anniversary of the Dubai Metro Red Line.
 
Once operational, the Blue Line will cover a total length of 30km - of which 15.5km will be underground and 14.5km elevated tracks - with 14 stations along the route, said RTA in a statement. 
 
The Blue Line was meticulously designed with sustainability at its core, linking major current and future high-density areas projected to accommodate approximately one million residents by 2040, it stated. 
 
It includes three interchange stations - Al Khor on the Green Line, Centrepoint on the Red Line, and International City (1). A signature architectural station will be constructed in Dubai Creek Harbour, serving as a highlight of the project. 
 
Additionally, the Blue Line will feature Dubai Metro’s first-ever crossing over Dubai Creek via a 1,300-meter bridge, said the RTA statement.
 
The line will also serve prominent residential neighbourhoods such as Al Rashidiya, Al Warqaa and Mirdif, along with Dubai Silicon Oasis, a strategic urban centre under the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, and Dubai Academic City, anticipated to host over 50,000 university students by 2029, it added. 
 
Announcing the contract award, Mattar Al Tayer, the Director General and Chairman of the RTA Board of Executive Directors, said the consortium was selected through an international tender process that attracted five alliances comprising 15 global firms specialising in metro systems and infrastructure. 
 
"These alliances submitted detailed technical and financial proposals, with three consortia advancing to the final stage. After a thorough evaluation process, the contract was awarded to the Turkish-Chinese consortium led by Turkish group Mapa.
 
As per the deal, Mapa and Limak will be responsible for overseeing civil works, while CRRC will handle the rail systems.
 
The signing ceremony was attended by the heads of consortium companies: Mehmet Nazif Gunal, Chairman of the Board Mapa, Nihat Özdemir, Chairman of the Board Limak, Liu Gang, Chairman CRRC, along with senior RTA officials, including Abdul Muhsen Ibrahim Younes Kalbat, CEO of the Rail Agency; Ahmed Al Kaabi, Executive Director of Finance; and Saeed Al Marri, Director of Contracts and Procurement.
 
Al Tayer pointed out that the project builds on the remarkable success of the Dubai Metro since its inauguration on September 9, 2009.
 
"As the backbone of Dubai’s transportation network and the preferred choice for residents and visitors, it now accommodates over 850,000 riders daily and has transported nearly 2.5 billion riders since its launch," he stated.
 
"It currently accounts for 60% of all public transport users in the emirate," he added.
 
With a capacity of 46,000 passengers per hour in both directions and a train frequency of two minutes, the Blue Line is expected to serve nearly 200,000 passengers daily by 2030, rising to 320,000 passengers daily by 2040, remarked Al Tayer.
 
According to him, the Blue Line also supports urban planning initiatives like the 20-Minute City, ensuring that over 80% of services are accessible within a 20-minute commute, while promoting transit-oriented development (TOD).
 
Al Tayer said a key highlight of the project will the Dubai Creek Harbour station, which will be distinguished by its unique architectural design that embodies Dubai’s forward-thinking vision. 
 
Designed by the globally renowned firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) - creators of landmarks such as Burj Khalifa, the Olympic Tower in New York, and the Sears Tower in Chicago - the station harmonises with the modern urban character of the surrounding residential and commercial towers. 
 
Spanning 10,800 sq m, the station can accommodate 160,000 passengers daily, with an anticipated 70,000 daily users by 2040, said Al Tayer. 
 
Additionally, the Blue Line will feature International City (1), the largest underground interchange station in the metro network. Covering over 44,000 sq m, this station will have the capacity to handle 350,000 passengers daily, significantly enhancing connectivity across the metro system, he added.
 
On the big challenge, Nazif Gunal said: "We do not underestimate the challenges that a project of this scale and complexity will have to overcome to achieve successful completion and the start of commercial operations on the Blue Line by 9/9/29. This date represents 20 years since the opening of the first metro lines in Dubai, which have been instrumental in the extraordinary growth of the city and in bringing highly flexible and accessible mobility."
 
"We are confident that with the support and encouragement of our esteemed client and appointed consultants, together with the combined local, international, and technical strengths of our consortium members and design partner, we will meet the challenges as one team for the success of the project," he added.-TradeArabia News Service