Kamal Ahmed, Bahrain’s minister of transport confirmed this week {that a} rail masterplan which incorporates mainline connections to neighbouring international locations Saudi Arabia and Qatar together with plans for metro, gentle rail and monorail methods will likely be accomplished by the tip of the 12 months. These could be the primary railways inbuilt Bahrain and could be accomplished by 2030.
2022 Qatar Fifa World Cup
Anticipating to value $4.5 billion (US) and stretching 90km, the double-track railway linking Saudi Arabia and Bahrain together with a 40km causeway between Bahrain and Qatar are hoped to be accomplished and working in time for the 2022 Fifa World Cup which will likely be hosted by Qatar. Discussions between the international locations are nonetheless underway and a extra particular timeline for the implementation of the plan ought to be accomplished by the center of of subsequent 12 months.
Ahmed stated “We’re reviewing the alignment of the practice community, as a result of the concept is to hyperlink Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and we additionally wish to hyperlink it to the port and the airport. We have to determine the precise alignments – essentially the most possible and cost-effective method. We are going to finalise this by the tip of the 12 months, after which we are going to work with our brothers in Saudi Arabia to see what’s the finest procurement methodology to finance this undertaking. Possibly by the primary or second quarter of subsequent 12 months, we’ll have a extra stable plan a couple of timeline for implementation.”
Ahmed went on to say “Conferences are being carried out as typical; there are such a lot of committees, monetary and technical, and it’s not a straightforward undertaking. Plans maintain altering, and designs, clearly, however it’s happening. It needs to be accomplished earlier than the World Cup.”