Bids for a contract covering the signalling works on the second rail track between Dammam and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia continue to be evaluated.

Contractors submitted their bids in early February. A source says that the contract is unlikely to be awarded by the Saudi Railways Organisation (SRO) until the second half of this year.

A total of five companies were prequalified for this contract.

There are two existing lines that connect the port city of Dammam and the capital, Riyadh. A 556km line for freight traffic was built in the 1950s and the 449km-line for passenger service was built in the 1980s.

The upgrading of these lines is part of phase one of Saudi Arabia’s rail masterplan.