Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has requested bidders extend by one month the validity of proposals submitted for the study and design of extensions to the Green and Red lines of the Dubai Metro.

The proposals were initially valid until end of January.

MEED understands the team comprising UK-based Atkins and Grimshaw, the US’ Parsons and France’s Egis, and another team comprising US-based Aecom, French firms Systra and Arep, and Canada-based WSP submitted the two lowest bids for the contract.

Other consortiums that bid for the contract are:

• Dar al-Handasah (Lebanon) / Typsa (Spain) / Stantec (Canada)
• Deutsche Bahn (Germany) / Sener (Spain) / KEO (Kuwait)
• Mott Macdonald (UK) / AEDAS (UK) / AEC (local) / CallisonRTKL (US) / Turner & Townsend (UK) / SJ (Sweden)

RTA opened the financial bids on 2 October after completing a technical review of the submissions in mid-September.

In addition to the planned extension of the Dubai Metro Green and Red lines, it is understood that RTA included a feasibility study in the tendered contract for a 7-kilometre line linking both.

The Green Line extension will start from its terminus at Creek station in the Jadaf area, cross over to the Dubai Creek Harbour development, pass through Ras al-Khor, International City and Dubai Silicon Oasis, before terminating at Academic City. The line will have 11 stations.

The Red Line extension will link its terminus in Rashidiya to Mirdif City Centre. It will extend 3.5 km and have one station.

The Green Line extension will benefit Dubai Creek Harbour, which is being developed by local firms Dubai Holding and Emaar Properties. The 6 square kilometre development will include a large shopping mall and the Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour, which is expected to be the world’s tallest man-made structure when completed.

Local developer Emaar is working with the RTA on plans to build a 2 km metro link directly connecting the Dubai Creek Harbour development in Ras al-Khor with Dubai International airport.

Dubai is already working on a 15 km extension to the Red Line. In 2016, the RTA awarded a AED10.6bn ($2.9bn) deal to design and build Dubai Metro’s Route 2020 link to a consortium of Spain’s Acciona, Turkey’s Gulermak and France’s Alstom.