By rosebell
In order to design and build the civil works and station packages for the railway line connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai, a contract has been tendered by the UAE’s Etihad Rail.
10 January was the date that the tender notice was issued, whereas a bid submission deadline is 7 May.
Additionally, contractors are forming joint ventures to bid for upcoming design-and-build works packages for the high-speed railway (HSR) project.
The scheduled date for Etihad Rail to issue the request for proposals (RFP) of the project is the first quarter of 2025, as MEED exclusively reported earlier this month.
Following submitting the prequalification documents on 21 November last year, Etihad Rail started the post-prequalification clarifications with firms.
Considering that MEED exclusively reported in September last year about the construction plans for the UAE’s HSR network, the design speed of the trains running on the network is due to be 350 kilometres an hour (km/h) and the operating speed will be 320km/h.
Being constructed in four phases, the proposed HSR program will gradually add further connectivity to other areas within the UAE.
Linking Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the first phase involves the construction of a railway line that is expected to be operational by 2030.
Development of an inner-city railway network with 10 stations within Abu Dhabi city will be in the the second phase and the third phase of the railway network involves the construction of a connection between Abu Dhabi and Al-Ain.
Also the content of the fourth phase is the development of an inter-emirate connection between Dubai and Sharjah.
The 150-kilometre (km) first phase of the HSR will stretch from the Al-Zahiyah area of Abu Dhabi to Al-Jaddaf in Dubai.
The project’s civil works have been split into two packages – Abu Dhabi and Dubai – comprising four sections. The scope of these sections includes:
Phase 1A: Al-Zahiyah to Yas Island (23.5km)
Phase 1B: Yas Island to the border of Abu Dhabi/Dubai (64.2km)
Phase 1C: Abu Dhabi/Dubai border to Al-Jaddaf (52.1km)
Phase 1D: Abu Dhabi airport delta junction and connection with Abu Dhabi airport station (9.2km)
With total tunneling works of 31km, this rail line will have five stations: Al-Zahiyah (ADT), Saadiyat Island (ADS), Yas Island (YAS), Abu Dhabi airport (AUH) and Al-Jaddaf (DJD).
While the ADT, AUH and DJD stations are slated to be underground, ADS will be elevated and YAS will be at grade.
Also provisions for the rolling stock, railway systems and two maintenance depots, are the contents of the overall construction package.
Decreasing the journey times between the UAE’s two largest cities and economic centres, through this high-speed project journey time between the YAS and DJD stations will be 30 minutes.
While commencing the preliminary site testing works, Dubai-based Matcon Testing Laboratory and Abu Dhabi’s Engineering & Research International are conducting drilling tests to ascertain the ground conditions in areas through which the HSR will pass.
Spanish engineering firms Sener and Ineco are the project’s engineering consultants.
