The Dubai Municipality has extended the tender closing date for the main tunnel package of its planned Jebel Ali stormwater network project to 20 April.

The previous closing date was 2 April.

The 12km-long section of tunnel is also referred to as package 2. The companies prequalified to bid for the tunnelling are:

• Salini Impregilo (Italy)
• Samsung C&T (South Korea) / Ghella (Italy)
• Acciona (Spain) / Larsen & Toubro (India)
• Vinci Construction (France)
• Bouygues (France)
• Porr (Austria) / Besix (Belgium)
• Hyundai Engineering & Construction (South Korea)
• Strabag (Austria) / Gulermak (Turkey)

The municipality has also invited prequalified contractors to submit proposals for the main pumping station.

According to sources close to the scheme, the client has set a bid submission date of 28 May.

The stormwater tunnel network has been identified as a key project to prevent any future flooding of Al-Maktoum International airport and the surrounding area, which will include the Expo 2020 site.

The network is one of three major deep-tunnel projects Dubai Municipality is planning to undertake.

The project owner is preparing to develop two major deep-tunnel sewer networks in the Deira and Bur Dubai areas of the emirate, which will be similar to the under-construction strategic tunnel enhancement programme (STEP) project in neighbouring Abu Dhabi.