Consultants resubmitted bids for the consultancy services contract for a long-distance passenger and freight railway in Qatar on 21 July.

Bids for the project were originally submitted in March. However, the project owner, Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail) subsequently decided to expand the contract’s scope of works and retender the scheme.

The original tender was issued at the end of 2012 and covered the design of civil infrastructure and mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) works.  In May, Qatar Rail expanded the contract terms to include systems, rolling stock, the location of intermodal freight yards and stations.

The deal is expected to be awarded in the third quarter of 2013.

Early plans for the two rail lines see the scheme divided into three phases. The first phase will involve a 195-kilometre freight line linking Port Mesaieed to Ras Laffan, eventually linking to Saudi Arabia through the planned GCC-wide network.

Phase 2 involves the construction of the 150km high-speed connection to Bahrain. Phase 3 will see the construction of a 165km passenger and freight national network linking Dukhan to Al-Shamal and Doha City.

The overland rail line forms part of Qatar Rail’s integrated rail plan, which includes the construction of the Doha Metro and a light rail system.