The local El-Seif Engineering Contracting Company has been awarded an estimated SR400m ($107m) contract to upgrade roads for the first phase of the Riyadh Bus Transit system.

The work will involve modifying and widening roads in South Riyadh to accommodate the bus transit system, which will connect various locations in Riyadh and link up with the Riyadh Metro. El-Seif’s contract will involve the modification of about 34 kilometres of roads to facilitate the bus system.

The bus network includes an 83km rapid bus transit system, two circular routes, as well as community bus lines and feeder buses that will eventually support the planned Riyadh metro system. The client for Riyadh’s transport programme is the local Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA).

In June, four consortiums submitted bids to operate and maintain the proposed bus system.

The consortiums are:

• MV Transportation (US)/Dallah Hajj Transport (local)
• Ratp-Dev (France)/Saudi Public Transport Company (local)
• Gursel Turizm Tasimacilik (Turkey)/El-Seif Engineering Contracting (local)
• National Express Group (UK)/Hafil Public Transport Company (local)

The two projects are part of Riyadh’s plans to upgrade its transport infrastructure to cope with its rapidly growing population. The city’s existing population of 5.3 million is expected to top 8.3 million by 2025.

El-Seif was recently awarded the estimated $667m contract to build phase 2a of Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry security compounds network programme.

The work will involve the development of seven security complexes in different areas of the kingdom. The complexes will include the Passport Institute, the Institute of Security, the Institute of Preventing Drugs and the Institute of Border Guards. Each complex will include administration buildings, headquarters, housing units and infrastructure.