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By SHARAKAT

Oman has one of the most exciting and longest new rail building programmes in the region. Its main focus is on the development of a mainline network, spanning the country from the UAE border in the north to the border with Yemen in the far south.

Due to the vast size of the sultanate, rail is seen as a means of improving access to more remote areas and stimulating economic activity in those regions.

Originally envisaged to be developed in stages, it now appears that Oman is looking to develop the whole network almost simultaneously in what will be a sizeable, multibillion-dollar project.

The authorities have made it clear that they expect to achieve as much in-country value as possible and any contracts to build the network will be expected to maximise local staffing and manufacturing capabilities.

Huge scale

The planned mainline railway network will be built to carry people and freight. With a total distance of 2,244 kilometres, the estimated $15bn project involves the laying of more than 12,000km of rail, 10.2 million sleepers and 23 million cubic metres of ballast in what will be one of the world’s largest engineering exercises.

Oman’s rocky and mountainous terrain also means the double-track railway will require a large number of bridges, tunnels and underpasses. A total of 46 railway stations will need to be built, six of which will be classified as ‘large’ stations.

The network is planned to be operational by 2018-19, although this appears overly ambitious given the current rate of procurement progress.

Work on the rail project began in 2009 when France’s Systra won the contract to conduct a feasibility study, which it carried out in conjunction with the local National Engineering Office. In 2011, the ownership of the project was transferred from the Supreme Committee for Town Planning to the Transport & Communications Ministry.

In January 2013, the government announced that it was setting up a new Oman Railway Company (ORC) to oversee the tendering, design and construction of the network.

In August 2013, the Italian state railway group Italferr was awarded the $37m contract for the preliminary design of the railway.

Three consortiums submitted bids for the retendered project management consultancy contract in March 2014, with a group led by South Korea’s Dohwa Engineering submitting the lowest offer of $89m. The selected consortium will be responsible for the procurement of rolling stock, reviewing the contract process, supervision of contract management and construction, as well as project management services.

Rail is seen as a means of improving access to more remote areas and stimulating economic activity in those regions

The first section of the rail network, known as Sector A, is 127km linking Sohar to the Oman/UAE border at Al-Buraimi and Khatmat Malaha. It includes two 2.94km-long tunnels, two 0.33km-long cut and cover sections, and 51 viaduct sections totalling 16.7km. For buildings, there are three stations, one depot, one maintenance facility, four freight terminals and three maintenance centres.

Sector B is 34km linking Sector A with Al-Buraimi station. It has two 1.86km-long tunnel sections and nine viaduct sections totalling 6km. For buildings, there are two stations, one maintenance facility and two freight terminals.

Sector C is 38km linking Sector A to the Port of Sohar. It will have eight viaduct sections totalling 3.1km, one depot and two freight terminals.

There will also be 8km of junctions linking Sector A to Sectors B and C with four viaduct sections totalling 1.9km.