The US’ Parsons International and Aecom have won the project management consultancy contract for the Lusail light railway transit (LRT) network in Doha.

The two companies signed a five-year contract with Qatar Railways Development Company (QRDC) on 6 April.

The development of the Lusail LRT will include building about 20 kilometres of double track and about 10km of single track. It will also involve building 25 passenger stations and a further eight stations underground. This is one of three major rail projects to be developed in Qatar in preparation for hosting the Fifa World Cup in 2022. Qatar Railways Development Company is a joint venture between state-owned Qatari Diar and Germany’s Deutsche Bahn. The other two projects include the Doha metro and the West Bay automated people-mover.

The QRDC is currently inviting bids for the contract to supply rolling stock for the Lusail LRT network (MEED 29:3:11). This will involve supplying 34 trains.

In April 2010, Germany’s Hochtief founded a joint venture with Lusail Real Estate Development Company, a subsidiary of Qatari Diar, to develop Lusail City, including the development of the LRT network.