The project involves preparing designs for an 11-kilometre-long extension from Al-Jadaf to International City, with five stations in between.

It will cross Dubai creek on the planned sixth crossing and interconnect with the Blue Line, which will run along Emirates road. It will also connect with bus and marine transport terminals.

The other bidders for the contract were Hyder Consulting, Mott MacDonald, both UK-based, and US-based Parsons Brinckerhoff. The client is the Roads & Transport Authority.

The Dubai Rapid Link (Durl) consortium was awarded the AED4.1bn ($1.1bn) contract for the first phase of the Green Line in 2006, which came after the AED12.5bn deal for the Red Line was awarded to Durl in June 2005. Parsons and Systra are working as consultants on these two lines.

Work on the first phase of the Green Line is under way and involves the construction of a 20km metro line running from Dubai International airport through Deira and Bur Dubai to Rashidiya.

The Durl consortium is led by Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation and includes Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Obayashi Corporation and Kajima Corporation, all of Japan, and Turkey's Yapi Merkezi.

Work on a third route, the Purple Line, could be shelved for up to a year as the RTA focuses on its rail masterplan.