The government in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has awarded three engineering and construction packages for its six-line metro project. The contracts, worth around US$22 billion, have been awarded to a consortium of the US's Bechtel, Germany's 189 Siemens, the regional Consolidated Contractors Company and Saudi Arabia's Almabani; a consortium led by Italy's Ansaldo STS; Spain's Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas (5656 FCC), France's Alstom and South Korea's 1809 Samsung C&T.
Six driverless subway lines, set to be built all at once over the next five years, are to span 176 kilometres connecting the airport, government buildings, universities and the city centre - making it an unusual and potentially disruptive construction project with building sites set to spring up across the capital.
The kingdom's metro plans are the latest in a rush of transportation spending in the Arabian Gulf. Riyadh's population is projected to balloon from 5.7 million to 8.3 million by 2030. Two per cent of residents use public transport today, according to FCC.
Six driverless subway lines, set to be built all at once over the next five years, are to span 176 kilometres connecting the airport, government buildings, universities and the city centre - making it an unusual and potentially disruptive construction project with building sites set to spring up across the capital.
The kingdom's metro plans are the latest in a rush of transportation spending in the Arabian Gulf. Riyadh's population is projected to balloon from 5.7 million to 8.3 million by 2030. Two per cent of residents use public transport today, according to FCC.
