An announcement of shortlisted bidders for the prequalification stage of Dubai’s light rail project, which includes 18km of 9.6m diameter tunnels through sand, is expected shortly (T&TI, April p7).
Sources revealed that over 50 bidders submitted details for the civil works. This figure has now been reduced to six potential bidders for the US$3.9bn project, which also includes elevated sections. Of these, four are said to be joint ventures and two are stand alone bidders.
The joint ventures are believed to be Bilfinger/Taisei/Beisx; Bouygues/Vinci/Hochtief/CC IC; Consorcio Dutco/Balfour Beatty/RoyalBam-Interbeton/Parsons Transportation; and Obayashi/Yapi Merkezi. The two single bidders are an Odebrecht subsidiary from Angola and the Bin Laden Group from Saudi.
Although details of the expected time frames are not currently available, T&TI had previously been told it was hoped that the tender process could be completed by 2005 with construction commencing in 2006. This timing will be necessary for the plans to begin staged opening of the network by 2010.
The scheme features two lines, the Red Line that runs parallel to the seafront and the looped Green Line to serve Dubai’s airport terminals and shopping districts. The tunnelled lengths will be single bore twin track tunnels at depths varying from 25m to 30m. Ground conditions in Dubai are generally characterised as sand with a high water table
Japan’s Taisei Corporation has already won a contract to build the Palm Jumeirah 1.3km dual three-lane road tunnel in Dubai. The link, due for completion by August 2006, will provide vehicle access between Palm Jumeirah and Atlantis, an underwater themed resort under development on the island.
The tunnel, with a total width of 37m, an internal height of 5.5m and built at a depth of 10m, will have a central 3.7m wide lane to provide access for emergency vehicles and utilities.
Construction of a 1.6km dual two-lane road tunnel at Dubai International Airport, which will be the longest and widest in the Middle East, is more than 50% complete.
Work on the link, planned by Dubai Municipality’s roads department and part of a US$187.4M road project at the airport, started in March last year and is on course for completion by March 2005.
