In a major step towards realising Doha Metro, one of the largest single metro systems in the world, a five-member consortium, led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, has received a “letter of conditional acceptance” from Qatar Rail for a systems package for the metro system.
The consortium comprises Mitsubishi Heavy industries, Mitsubishi Corporation, Hitachi, Kinki Sharyo and Thales.
Phase 1 of the Doha Metro network will be launched in 2019. It is implemented by joint ventures involving local and international contractors.
This is one of the largest single metro systems in the world.
The Doha Metro network is implemented by joint ventures involving local and international contractors.
The newly-accepted package calls for turnkey construction of a fully automated driverless metro system. Included are 75 sets of three-car trains, platform screen doors, tracks, a railway yard and systems for signalling, power distribution, telecommunications and tunnel ventilation. The package is expected to include a 20-year maintenance deal once the systems are complete.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the consortium leader, will supply the power distribution system, platform screen doors, tracks and tunnel ventilation work, and will undertake overall project management and system integration. Mitsubishi Corporation and Kinki Sharyo will jointly provide the railway cars. Thales will supply the advanced Communications Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling, telecommunications and security, integrated operational control centre and automatic fare collection systems.
Hitachi will perform some project management duties and handle facilities maintenance, including the supply of special maintenance vehicles that comprehensively inspect the safety of infrastructure such as railway tracks and electric train lines.
“The Doha Metro ongoing works are being done according to our timeline that we set at the beginning of the project,” said Qatar Rail’s CEO Saad Ahmed al-Muhannadi.
“In 2013 and 2014, we signed many agreements that reached a remarkable value promising to deliver the best standards of metro railway in the near future. With the five-member Japan Consortium led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, we look forward to add more value to our project....”
The Doha Metro will consist of four lines – red, green, gold and blue – covering a total distance of 241km with some 106 stations, of which 123km will be constructed underground.
It will connect the main areas of Doha, including Hamad International Airport, the old city and newly-developing inner city areas such as West Bay and Lusail.
After submitting its bid in March 2014, the consortium underwent 11 months of detailed negotiations. The letter of conditional acceptance was ultimately received after convincingly demonstrating to the client the consortium’s high technical capabilities and robust track record in the construction of metro systems.
HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzu014d Abe at the agreement signing ceremony in Tokyo last month.
