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Saudi Arabia's Neom has awarded an infrastructure development contract at Trojena to a joint venture of the local Al-Ayuni Investment & Contracting and Turkish Limak Holding.

The contract scope covers the construction of a tunnel and freight depot, and excavation works at Trojena, a mountain destination 50 kilometres from Saudi Arabia's Gulf of Aqaba coast.

The bids for the civil and mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, controls and automation (MEICA) contract were submitted in May. 

The so-called Neom Time Travel tunnel extends 4.4km and includes twin-bored tunnels with two ventilation shafts and an at-grade section.

The tunnel links the Mirage Visitor Centre and the Vault, Trojena's centrepiece development.

The excavation works will include support for major tieback structures of anchor tunnels and anchor bays for the development's suspension bridges. 

The Mirage freight depot will be located next to the Mirage visitor centre, providing access to the underground Time Travel tunnel.

Trojena Vault

In August, Neom issued a tender for a contract to construct the shell and core components of the Vault, the gateway into Trojena. 

The Vault will be built vertically inside a hollow mountain that will fold in on itself. It will be 198 metres high, 253 metres wide and 864 metres long. The total surface area of the project is 200,000 square metres.

Trojena dams

In April, Neom awarded its first Trojena contracts. Al-Ayuni Investment & Contracting won contracts for earthworks and the construction of access roads for the Trojena dams scheme. 

The three dams, which together could cost about $2bn to complete, will be used to create the central lake at the mountain resort.

Al-Ayuni is also one of the three contractors engaged by Neom on an early contractor involvement basis to work on the Trojena Dams project.

In December 2022, US-based Bechtel won a contract to provide project management consultancy services for the Trojena development. 

Saudi Arabia won the bid to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games at Trojena last year.