Metro tunnel visit raises opportunities for Saudi contractors

 A delegation from the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) has raised possible opportunities for Saudi contractors to participate in the Riyadh Metro project during a tour of the project in the capital city.

The delegation from the RCCI’s Committee of Contractors was led by the committee’s chairman, Fahd bin Mohammed Al Hammadi, and taken on the tour by the Riyadh Metro project manager, Waleed bin Abdulrahman Al-Akrash, who briefed the delegation on the components of the project and the role it would play in changing the way of life in the city.

Al-Akrash said the project would provide a modern, safe and sustainable mobility service, for various segments of Riyadh’s population.

Discussions on opportunities for local, Saudi contractors focused on the importance of localizing expertise in the construction sector.

Riyadh Metro is the first global project to bring together the world’s three largest manufacturers of trains to work together across railway, civil works, tunneling, communications and control systems.

The delegation also visited the site of the project’s giant tunneling machine, Sanaah, which is drilling the northern part of the 5th track.
The delegation listened to a detailed explanation of the security and safety procedures at the site.

Sanaah is capable of drilling, removing debris, and lining tunnel walls with concrete, all without causing vibration or noise on the surface or the surroundings.

Sanaah has so far drilled around 5 kilometers of the tunnel, and is only 250 meters short of completing the tunnel for the green track.

Dhafrrah, the other large tunneling machine, has already finished digging works on the southern part of the tunnel.