The winner of the contract for the much-awaited land-bridge project to link Saudi Arabia’s east with its west will be announced in April, Saudi Transport Minister Dr. Jabara Al-Seraisry said. The total cost of the project is estimated at $5 billion. Seraisry’s statement came less than a week after the formation of a railway authority by the Council of Ministers. The authority will issue licences to railway service providers, monitor unfair competition, and investigate railway accidents and losses. The land-bridge project involves construction of 950 km of new railway tracks between Riyadh and Jeddah and another 115-km line between Dammam and Jubail. It is the cornerstone of a massive multibillion-riyal railway expansion project and will be the first rail link between the Red Sea and the Gulf. The four consortia vying for the project are Agility PWC Logistics Consortium, Mada Consortium, Saudi Binladin Consortium and Al-Muhaidib/ACWA (Tarabot) Consortium. Seraisry emphasised the significance of the land-bridge project, saying it would strengthen the Kingdom’s position on the regional and international transport map. It will also bring about total change in the region’s shipping pattern.
MUCH-AWAITED SAUDI RAILWAY PROJECT ON TRACK
The winner of the contract for the much-awaited land-bridge project to link Saudi Arabia’s east with its west will be announced in April, Saudi Transport Minister Dr. Jabara Al-Seraisry said. The total cost of the project is estimated at $5 billion.
