Contracts for metro construction and equipment in Istanbul and Bursa valued at about $510 million will be awarded in January, contractors say. The clients are the cities' municipalities.

A contract of about $330 million for the first stage construction of the Bursa metro is expected to be signed on 24 January by a consortium led by Germany's Siemens (MEED 6:12:96.) The consortium also includes Italy's Ansaldo Trasporti, and Simko, Guris and Tuvasas, all local.

Construction is expected to start as soon as treasury approval is secured for the consortium's 100 per cent credit funding offer. The German government has extended a $147 million loan towards the project with a maturity of 30 years and a 10-year grace period. Completion will take about 900 days.

The first stage of about 20 kilometres will run between the city's organised industrial zone and Kestel district, passing through the Mudanya street junction, Fomura, Hasim Iscan street, Tayyareci Ali Bey street, and Gursu. The contract will cover construction, manufacturing and erection works, including operation and maintenance facilities, as well as the supply and manufacturing of cars and locomotives. Once the first stage is commissioned, about 36 trains will carry up to 15,000 passengers an hour.

The second contract of $180 million for the mechanical and electrical equipment and its installation for the first stage of the Istanbul metro was scheduled to be signed on 10 January by a consortium led by France's Cegelec (MEED 13:12:96). The consortium also includes local contractors Cengiz and Albayrak.

The work is scheduled for completion by the end of 1998. However, the contract will not include the supply of cars, which instead will come from reserves held by the Ankara metro.