Algeria’s Enterprise Metro d’Alger (EMA) is inviting companies to submit bids by 13 May for a contract to carry out the extension of the Constantine tramway.

The scope will involve carrying out the detailed design and supervision of construction for the extension of the tram.

An 8-kilometre tram network is currently being built in Constantine by France’s Alstom and Italy’s Impresa Pizzaroti. The companies won the contract in 2007. The tram will have 11 stations and is due to be completed during 2011. The first line of the tram will connect the centre of Constantine to the suburb of Zouaghi to the south.

The extension will see the tram network continue on for 5km to Ali Mendjeli, which is a satellite city of Constantine. This will bring the total length of the Constantine tram to 13km.

Algeria is spending $30bn on developing its transport infrastructure up until 2014. Plans are already under way to build a metro system in Oran.

In February, EMA also invited consultants to submit bids by 3 April for the preliminary design and supervision of construction contracts for two new tram lines (MEED 7:2:11).

The first tram line will be built in the town of Setif and the second tram line will be built in Annaba.  Each tramway will run for a minimum of 5km.