Original news was published on 04 May, 2015
The first of seven tunnel boring machines for the US$22.5 billion Riyadh Metro project has been formally launched by Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar, according to a statement from the High Commission for the Development of ArRiyadh.
The TBMs will bore tunnels with lengths ranging from 90 to 120 meters at depths up to 30 meters.
Three international consortiums are in charge of building the various lines, and ordering their own tunnel boring machines. Lines 1 and 2 are being designed and built by the BACS consortium — Bechtel, Almabani General Contractors, Consolidated Contractors Company and Siemens — under a US$9.45 billion EPC contract.
The US$5.21 billion Line 3 is being handled by ArRiyadh New Mobility, a group of two consortiums: the Electrical Work Group (Ansaldo STS and Bombardier Transportation) and the Civil Work Group of Salini-Impregilo, Larsen & Toubro and Nesma.
Lines 4, 5 and 6 are the responsibility of the FAST consortium, which is led by FCC and includes Samsung C&T, Alstom, Strukton, Freyssinet Saudi Arabia, Typsa and Setec. This contract is valued at US$7.82 billion.
Above ground, construction is underway on several stations, including Al-Olaya, Qasr Al-Hakam, King Abdullah Financial Center and at King Khalid International Airport, according to Arab News.
The 178-kilometer-long Riyadh metro will have six lines and 85 stations including underground, elevated and at-grade sections. The Blue Line will run 44 kilometers with 39 stations from Olaya Street to Al-Hayer Road. The 22-kilometer Green Line will connect King Abdullah Road to King Fahad Stadium and contain 14 station. The longest line at 45 kilometers is the Red Line from Madina Al-Munawara to Rahman Al-Awal Road. The Orange Line will run from King Khaled International Airport to the new King Abdullah Financial District, while the Yellow Line will start from King Abdul Aziz Road. Finally, the Purple Line will connect Abdul Rahman bin Ouf Street to the Shaikh Hassan bin Hussain bin Ali Street.
The Riyadh Metro will begin service in 2019.
*NEWS SOURCE
