Railway Project to Be Inaugurated in 2019

Doha, February 04 (QNA) - QatarRail will inaugurate the first stage of its railway projects in 2019, two years earlier than expected date of 2021, Chief Executive Saad Al Mohannadi announced Saturday. In a press statement released today, the company said that the announcement was made in Dubai by Al Mohannadi during a presentation he was giving on the challenges and opportunities that face Qatar Rail in accomplishing the project. The presentation was given as part of the Middle-East Conference on Railways, which was concluded in Dubai recently. The project's first tender will be held in 2012, according to Al Mohannadi. He added that they will hold workshops for investors in order to familiarize them with the projects' needs. Al Mohannadi said that the construction stage will begin in 2013. He said that Qatar Rail has already held introductory meetings with more than 150 companies specialized in railway projects and constructions. He added that Qatar Rail is coordinating with Qatar's Development Bank in order to determine the chances of the Qatari private sector in investing in the projects. An international advisor has also been selected for the same purpose, Al Mohannadi noted. He said that Qatar Rail looks to boost the expertise and the technologies local by allowing the Qatari Private sector to participate development. He said that this step was made under the directions of HE Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Shiekh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani, who is also the Chairman of the steering committee of Qatar Railway Networks (Rail) construction project. Qatar's railway network is one of the biggest projects of its kind in the region, Al Mohanadi and is considered a national project for Qatar, Al Mohanadi noted. He said that Qatar Rail is keen to cooperate with the leading international companies in order to achieve its vision. He stressed that Qatar Rail will look to develop its projects by applying international standards, based on the Qatar National Vision 2030. He said that establishing a metro network system in Qatar was a strategic decision. He said that metros are the sign of developed cities and high standards of living, as they limit traffic congestion and limit Carbon Dioxide emissions from cars as a result. Al Mohannadi expects Gulf investments in the railway sector to reach $200 billion in the next 10 years. The Middle-East rail exhibition and conference held in Dubai saw a strong participation by the GCC, in addition to many specialists in the transport field in the region. The conference focused on main opportunities and challenges that face the sector in the Middle-East region, one of the fastest growing markets in the world when it comes to the transport sector. GCC leads the way for Middle-East countries in terms of investing in railway networks. With a total investment of $245 billion, according to MEED rail. (QNA)