Construction work on Oman national rail project to start in 2015 Q1
18 consortium firms prequalified for civil, technology works.
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18 consortium firms have been prequalified to undertake civil work for the 2,244km-long Oman national railway project. Oman Railway Company (ORC), responsible for implementing the project, received 34 quotations from 95 local and international companies, bidding to procure prequalification rights for ORC’s design and build infrastructure and railway track contract.
Nine quotations were submitted by 14 local and international firms prequalifying themselves for technology systems for the national project. Senior ORC officials declined to reveal the name of the bidding companies, according to Times of Oman.
The 170km-long Sohar-Buraimi route is the first segment to be implemented from the national rail project, which is 700km-long and 120km-wide. The project has been divided into nine segments, such as Duqm-Thumrait-Salalah; Sohar Port-Muscat; Al Misfah-Sinaw; Thumrait-Al Mayzouna and Sohar Port-Khatmat Malalah.
ORC is expected to request prequalified companies to submit their bids, with construction work due to start by the first quarter of 2015 following the appointment of a design and build contract. Project completion and commencement of operation is scheduled for 2018.
The railway systems contractor will act as a sub-contractor of the main contractor, who will be responsible for the integration, testing and commissioning of the network. 30 small stations, 10 interim stations, six large stations and eight marshalling yards will be constructed for the railway network.
Oman’s Ministry of Transport and Communications signed three agreements for speeding up work on the project earlier this year. The first agreement was signed with Italferr, an Italian engineering firm, for providing consultancy services for preliminary route design.
Tecnicas Reunidas, Dohwa Engineering and Parsons International have submitted their bids to manage the project; South Korean firm Dohwa’s bid is the least expensive amongst the three.
