Gulf Construction Online - Investors sought for $2bn metro plan

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Phase One of Bahrain metro project comprises two lines with a length of 28.6 km and 20 stations.

Investors sought for $2bn metro plan

01 April 2021

Bahrain’s ambitious metro project, featuring four metro lines running 109 km long, was introduced for the first time to international investors at a recent virtual event hosted by the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications.

This comes ahead of the launch of international tendering for the project later this year.

Transportation and Telecommunications Minister Kamal Ahmed chaired the event ‘Bahrain Metro Market Consultation’, in the presence of senior officials including Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa.

During the event, Phase One of the project including technical studies, finance and legal aspects were showcased as part of the public private partnership (PPP).

Phase One of the project comprises two lines with a length of 28.6 km and 20 stations, including two interchanges. The Red Line will run from Seef, via Manama, to Bahrain International Airport, while the Blue Line will run from Juffair, via the Diplomatic Area, Manama, Al Farouq Junction and Salmaniya, to Isa Town Educational Area.

The system is being designed to carry 43,000 passengers per hour and is intended to reduce road traffic congestion in the kingdom. It will be the country’s first rail-based mass transit system.

Kamal Ahmed said the project will be carried out through a PPP. “We have appointed a team for the early stages of the project, including Anglo-Dutch multinational professional services firm KPMG as the lead and financial advisor; Egis, France, as a technical advisor; and multinational law firm DLA Piper as legal advisor,” stated the minister.

“The metro is part of Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to enhance the country’s economic sustainability, competitiveness and fairness over the next 10 years,” he added.