Bahrain Metro expansion attracts seven companies

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Seven companies are competing to take up the feasibility study for extending the Bahrain Metro corridor. AECOM Middle East Limited Foreign Branches Company, IDOM Consulting Engineering Architecture SAU Foreign Branch Co., Rina Consulting SPA - Abu Dhabi, Consolidated Engineering Company Khatib & Alami Foreign Branch Company, SENER Ingenieria y Sistemas SA, IDOM Consulting Engineering Architecture SAU Foreign Branch Co. and Dar Al Handash consultants had made their bids. The bids range between BHD 165,528.000 and BHD 598,500.000. Rina consulting emerged as the lowest bidder. However, according to the tender board, the lowest bidder may not necessarily win the contract.

Winning the contract depends on fulfilling technical and other requirements, following which price shall become the principal criterion. The tender was for determining the feasibility of extending the Bahrain Metro Corridor from King Hamad Railway Station at Al Ramli to the new Sports City and the International Exhibition Centre at Sakhir.

According to the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunication, the scope of work includes evaluation of alternative corridors, demand study and station allocation, concept and preliminary design of corridor and cost estimate of the project. According to MTT, Bahrain needs a 109km long metro network, which needs execution in phases.

In the first phase, the ministry plans to construct a 29 km long two-line network with 20 stations, where the first (red line) will be connecting Airport to Seef District through Airport Avenue and King Faisal Highway.

The second (blue line) will connect Juffair to the Educational area in Isa Town through King Faisal Highway, passing by the Diplomatic and Bab Al Bahrain. In terms of capacity, the system will be capable of carrying 43,000 passengers per hour, according to MTT.

Bahrain’s metro network is also part of a plan to connect Gulf Cooperation Council nations with a railway line. GCC rail will connect Bahrain Metro through King Hamad International Terminal in the Al Ramli area.

Upon completion, Bahrain metro project is expecting a cost between US$1 and US$2 billion. MTT has selected a team for the early stages of the project, including KPMG as the lead and financial advisor, Egis, France as a technical advisor, and DLA Piper as a legal advisor. This year, in March, the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunication held a virtual market sounding forum titled “Bahrain Metro Market Consultation”, showcasing the project to regional and international investors.

At that time, Kamal bin Ahmed Mohamed, the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, had said: “Through the Bahrain Metro project, MTT aspires to apply the latest technology that is up to international standards.

This marks an important milestone as it will improve the quality of life of citizens by providing a fast, comfortable, reliable, and sustainable transportation system in the Kingdom of Bahrain.” The project is the latest in a series of large-scale projects in Bahrain, worth $32bn within the transportation, industrial, hospitality, and retail sectors through public and private investments.