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Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has extended the deadline to 22 July for consortiums to submit their bids for the contract to design and build Dubai Metro’s new Blue Line.

The previous deadline was 19 May.

The RTA informed the companies on 12 January that they had been prequalified to bid for the contract. The tender documents were issued on 15 January.

Six consortiums were formed to bid for the project:

• Hyundai Rotem, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, Nippon (South Korea/China/Japan)
• China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation, Limak Holding, Mapa Group (China/Turkiye/Turkiye)
• Siemens, Samsung, Larsen & Toubro, Wade Adams (Germany/South Korea/India/UAE)
• Alstom, FCC, China State Construction Engineering Corporation (France/Spain/China)
• CAF, China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group, Arab Contractors (Spain/China/Egypt)
• Hitachi, WeBuild (Japan/Italy) 

According to sources close to the consortiums and the bidding process, the make-up of several consortiums has changed as some civil contractors and rolling stock providers have decide not to participate in the tender.

In November, MEED exclusively reported that contractors were forming consortiums to bid for the contract to design and build the metro line.

The RTA issued a notice seeking expressions of interest from contractors for the design and build of the line in October 2023.

The project is expected to cost several billion dollars to develop. It is one of Dubai’s largest upcoming infrastructure schemes, requiring international contractors to work in a joint venture with local partners. 

The design and build contractor will be responsible for all civil works, electromechanical works, rolling stock and rail systems. After completing the project, the contractor will assist in maintenance and operations for an initial three-year period.

The Blue Line will connect the existing Red and Green lines. It will have a total length of 30 kilometres (km), 15.5km underground and 14.5km above ground.

The line will have 14 stations, seven of which will be elevated. There will be five underground stations, including one interchange station, and two elevated transfer stations connected to the existing Centrepoint and Creek stations.

The scope of the contract also includes the supply of 28 driverless trains, the construction of a depot to accommodate up to 60 trains, and the construction of all associated roads, facilities and utility diversion works.

The detailed scope of work for the project includes:

• Civil works, including detailed design and construction of architectural and structural components (viaducts, tunnels, stations, etc)
• Design and execution of electromechanical works
• Design, procurement and delivery of operation and control systems for rail, stations and facilities
• Design, manufacturing and supply of rolling stock.

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