Mohammed bin Rashid Approves Awarding Contract for Extending Dubai Metro Red Line Project

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has approved awarding the contract of ‘Route 2020’ project, for extending the Red Line of the Dubai Metro, to Expolink Consortium comprising French, Spanish and Turkish firms at a cost of AED10.6 billion.

HH directed to immediately start the construction of the Dubai Metro Red Line Extension project and all the requisites of the project to be provided at the highest international standards and within the timeline set. Particularly as the new extension will serve an event that will be held for the first time in the UAE and in fact its debut in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia; which is expected to attract about 25 million visitors during the six month duration of hosting it in Dubai. The project will act as a critical line in serving the needs of demographic growth in the localities surrounding the metro track.

The above announcement was made by HE Mattar Al Tayer, director-general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the RTA, in the press conference held in Armani Hotel in Dubai following the signing of the contract with Expolink Consortium. The event was attended by HE Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Chairman and CEO of Alstom; and Abdul Mohsen Ibrahim Younes, CEO of RTA Rail Agency.

10 Consortiums

“The construction of the Route 2020 is envisioned in Dubai 2021 Plan for achieving sustainable development, providing an improved world-class infrastructure & services. It also comes in implementation of RTA Strategic Plan 2021 aimed at providing mass transit systems including metro & tramlines, buses, and marine transit services towards realizing RTA’s vision of Safe & Smooth Transport for All,” said Al Tayer.

“The consortium entrusted to undertake Route 2020 project was selected through an international tendering process involving the participation of 10 consortiums of major firms specialized in the construction of metro systems from all parts of the globe. Five of them submitted technical and financial proposals, and negotiations were made with two of them in the final stage; which concluded to awarding of the project contract to Expolink Consortium led by the French Alstom Conglomerate, Spanish Acciona, and the Turkish Gulermack. According to the contract, Alstom will supply 50 trains: 15 of them for serving Expo, and 35 for upgrading the level of service of the Dubai Metro. The company will also cater to electromechanical works. The French Thales Group will provide the technological systems whereas Acciona and Gulermack will attend to civil works,” explained Al Tayer.

Governance and Transparency

“The RTA has set governance & assessment principles for Route 2020 project to ensure transparency and achieve the best results that ensure the fruition of the vision of Dubai Emirate underlining the hosting of Expo 2020. Clear-cut objectives & standards have been set for the technical & financial assessment process during the tendering phase. These standards are based on several perimeters including: the project construction program, integration with the existing Dubai Metro systems, design of stations & the use of modern construction techniques in the project, and the rail technologies & systems supplied under the project. The assessment process was carried out by specialist committees, teams and international consultants involving the participation of 100 specialists from the RTA and the project consultant,” added Al Tayer.

Master Plan

In his speech to the press conference, Al Tayer spoke about linking Route 2020 with the Red Line of the Dubai Metro saying: “The RTA has mapped out a master plan for roads & transport projects to serve Expo 2020 and one of them is Route 2020. It has coordinated with all developers, and government service providers of concern with the planned metro route in order to ensure that Route 2020 will provide support to vital areas served by the project over the short and long terms. The Plan was tailored to achieve sustainability in the project such that the route will link the exhibition yard with several projects & vital communities with high population density of up to 270 thousand persons such as The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, Al Furjan, Jumeirah Golf Estates and the Dubai Investment Park.

“Route 2020 starts off Nakheel Harbour & Tower Station on the Red Line and extends 15 km: 11.8 km a viaduct, and 3.2 km underground track. The project encompasses seven stations including a transfer station with the Red Line, Expo Station, three elevated stations, and two underground stations,” he explained.

Ridership

“The capacity of Route 2020 is estimated as 46 thousand riders per hour in both directions (23 thousand riders per hour per direction). According to RTA studies, the ridership of Route 2020 is expected to reach 125 thousand riders per day in 2020; and the number is set to rise to 275 thousand riders per day by 2030. Studies also revealed that about 35 thousand riders will use Expo Station per day during weekdays, and the number is poised to rise to 47 thousand riders per day during weekends. This number accounts for about 20% of the projected total number of daily visitors of Expo,” stated Al Tayer.

As for the timeline of the project construction, Al Tayer said: “Construction works in the project will start in the final quarter of this year, and the trial run is expected to start in the last quarter of 2019. The official operation of the service is set to start in the second half of 2020 namely on 20/05/2020 i.e. five months ahead of the opening of Expo 2020.”

Commenting on the funding of Route 2020 project, Al Tayer said: “The RTA in coordination with the Finance Department of Dubai Government, had asked consortiums to submit elective finance offers during the tender submission stage. Accordingly, the Finance Department will select the suitable finance model that achieves the present and future financial sustainability of the project.

A host of CEOs and directors of RTA in addition to the President of Systra Mr. Pierre Verzat, Parsons Group President MES Mr. Gary Adams and several executives of Expolink Consortium attended the press conference.