Saudi Arabia's Development Commission of Makkah Al Mukarramah and Mashaaer (Dcomm) could soon award the project management and construction management (PMCM) contract for the Mecca bus network project.

According to sources with knowledge of the transaction, the financial offers for the contract are expected to be opened this week.

MEED understands that the planned bus network in Mecca will consist of 12 lines along a length of 300 kilometres.

Seven lines are to be allocated for local buses, with a total of 83 stations, and the remaining five will be allocated to large and articulated buses.

In September 2017,  a consortium comprising the local Nesma Holding  and Barcelona-based Transports Ciutat Comtal (TCC) won the SR3.4bn ($850m) contract to supply, maintain and operate buses for the Mecca Public Transport Programme (MPTP).

The contract entails the supply, import and 10-year maintenance of 400 buses, in addition to the construction of a 220,000 square-metre maintenance centre

MEED earlier reported that Nesma Holding is undertaking discussions to take over the shares of TCC in the consortium. However, both Nesma and the client declined to confirms such talks.

A source at Mecca Mass Rail Transit (MMRT), the client for the contract on behalf of  Dcomm, told MEED in January that the “project is proceeding as planned” and they are not aware of any such changes in the consortium.

MEED understands that a team comprising of UK’s National Express and its local partner earlier pulled out of the contract before it was awarded to the Nesma/TCC team.

In 2015, Nesma & Partners won a $1.75bn contract for infrastructure work on the King Abdul Aziz Road (KAAR) in Mecca.

The project is located in the western part of the city, extending 3,650 metres from the western entrance of the Grand Mosque leading to the Jabal Omar scheme.

The infrastructure work involves building roads and general infrastructure for the scheme. The works involve building 9.5 kilometres of roads, together with intersections and a main road with four lanes in each direction, and a central pedestrian boulevard linking to the Haram area.

The project was expected to be completed last year.