Frontrunners have emerged for the three project management packages on the Riyadh metro project.

The joint venture of the US’ Parsons International and France’s Egis is expected to win two project management packages, with the US joint venture of Louis Berger and Hill International frontrunner to win the third package, according to sources in Riyadh.

The project management tenders are being handled by the US’ CH2M Hill, which has been appointed as the project management office (PMO) for the metro project.

The client for the metro project, the Arriyadh Development Authority, is expected to award the main construction packages for the light rail project by the end of July.

The client had divided the six-line metro project into five major design and build packages, with lines 1 and 2 as one package, and the other lines each as single packages. Each package will include the supply of rolling stock.

Spanish firm FCC Construccion heads up the consortium known as FAST, while US firm Bechtel leads the BACS consortium. Italian firm Ansaldo STS is the leader of the Arriyadh New Mobility group.

Sources close to the project say the FAST consortium is the frontrunner for lines 4, 5 and 6. The BACS consortium is the frontrunner for lines 1 and 2, while Arriyadh New Mobility is the frontrunner for line 3.

The planned metro network features six lines (Blue, Green, Red, Orange, Yellow and Purple). It will have 85 air-conditioned stations.  The six lines will have a total length of 180 kilometres.

The metro scheme is part of Riyadh’s Public Transport Project (PTP) plan approved by the Council of Ministers on 23 April 2012. The plan has been prepared by the High Authority for the development of the city of Riyadh.