The Civil Engineering Contractor November 2018 | Page 17

WORLD NEWS
Doha Metro is Qatar’s largest infrastructure project,
estimated at a 215km rail network with up to 100 stations.
Qatar Rail has awarded four contracts to design and build
railway lines worth USD8.2-billion in the first phase of
construction for the Doha Metro. Four design and build
contracts for the first phase of Qatar’s metro rail include
Red Line North, Red Line South, Green Line, and major
stations. One of the contracts for the construction of the
two most emblematic stations of the metro was won by a
consortium led by South Korea’s Samsung C&T. The three
remaining contracts went to other consortia led by Italy’s
Impregilo Group, Austria’s Porr Bau GmbH, and French-
Qatari company QDVC.
Qatar plans a USD40-billion national integrated rail
network, together with a new USD11-billion airport and a
USD5.5-billion deep-water seaport. nn
Saudi Arabia religious tourism is set to rise following
a USD50-billion infrastructure investment. Increasing the
number of religious tourists is part of the 2020 National
Transformation Programme and Vision 2030, which aims to
lower dependence on oil income. The need to increase the
Hajj and Umrah religious pilgrimage activities is supported
by government initiatives to diversify income away from oil.
By promoting religious tourism, this will be another revenue
stream for the country.
Saudi Arabia is expanding the Grand Mosque in the holy
city of Mecca at an estimated cost of USD26.6-billion to
accommodate some 2.2-million worshippers a year — up
from around 1.86 million currently. The USD16.5-billion
Haramein high-speed railway linking Mecca to Medina, the
prophet’s birthplace, is scheduled to offer passenger services
from next year, with the 450km-long line having completed
its first test run in July. The government is also expected to
next year conclude the USD7.2-billion expansion of Jeddah’s
King Abdulaziz International Airport, the main gateway to
the holy cities and the country’s largest by capacity. The newly
expanded airport will be able to handle 30-million passengers
a year. Under the country’s transformation programme, the
number of Hajj pilgrims is envisaged to reach 2.5-million by
2020, with Umrah pilgrims expected to more than double to
15-million from around seven-million now.
Religious tourism remains the main source of tourism for
the country, which has been identified as a key contributor
to jobs and income over the coming years. Overall, income
The US’ second-biggest city, Los Angeles, is poised to
commence modernisation works at its fourth-busiest metro
station. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authority (Metro) will start major improvements to the tune
of USD109-million to its Metro Blue Line’s Willowbrook/
Rosa Parks Station. The project envisages the expansion of
Blue Line platform, creation of a new pedestrian crossing
and entrance on the south side, the construction of a new
customer service centre, a transit security centre, a bike hub,
and self-cleaning, automated public restrooms for patrons. The
open-air plaza has also been designed as a public resource to
www.civilsonline.co.za
Qatar Rail says the construction of Doha Metro stations
will be largely completed by the end of 2018, state-run
Qatar News Agency reported late August. This is attributed
to Abdulla Abdulaziz al Subaie, managing director of Qatar
Rail, speaking during a meeting with an advisory council
delegation visiting the Doha Metro project. After the
completion of the construction, the company will enter the
operational phase, which requires a transport system that
meets the highest international standards. Gas-rich Qatar
is spending tens of billions of dollars on infrastructure
projects over the next few years as it prepares to host the
World Cup in 2022 and potentially other international
sporting events. The delegation visited the Economic Zone
station, which can accommodate 15 000 passengers per
hour, and Ras Abu Fontas metro station, main service
centre of the Doha Metro.
The Grand Mosque in Mecca during the annual Hajj.
from tourism accounted for 3.57% of GDP and is set to
exceed 3.64% by 2020, according to the Saudi Commission
for Tourism and National Heritage. Investment in tourism
is expected to soar 16%. It currently employs more than
993 000 people, a figure expected to climb to 1.2-million by
2020, according to the commission.
This year in particular, the Hajj season is benefiting from
the easing of restrictions on quotas set for each Muslim
country, enabling more pilgrims to perform one of the
five pillars of Islam. The number of Hajj pilgrims last year
plummeted to around a 10-year low of 1.86-million, as the
kingdom restricted numbers and Iranian pilgrims stayed away
over political tensions between Riyadh and Tehran. Pilgrim
numbers peaked at 3.16 million in 2012. nn
be used for community events, special exhibits, celebrations,
and other entertainment places. Early construction work will
take place over the rest of this year.
In early January, the station will close for 8–9 months as
part of the New Blue project to modernise the Blue Line. The
work will radically transform the fourth-busiest station in the
metro rail system by improving access, expanding capacity,
adding community space, and better connecting the station
to the surrounding community. After modernisation works,
the station will again be put into commercial operation in
September 2019. nn
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