Saudi Arabia plans to open bidding for construction of a metro rail system in the commercial hub of Jeddah this year and begin operating it in 2020, an official from the state-backed firm managing the project said.
The plan for the multi-billion dollar system suggests Saudi Arabia is pushing ahead with big infrastructure projects despite the plunge of oil prices since last year, which has slashed state revenue and pushed the central government’s budget into deficit.
„Usually, railway projects take 36 months, so by the beginning of 2020 the construction phase should be over,” Osama Abdouh, chief executive of Metro Jeddah Co, Reuters informs.
A government official said previously that the metro would be 108 kilometres (68 miles) long. Abdouh said, however, that the plan was now for a 149 km system; 20 km would be underground but the metro would mostly use elevated viaducts.
Photo: jeddahmetro.com
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