Construction of Long Distance Railway to Start Early 2016

Doha, March 31 (QNA) - Managing Director of Qatar Railways Company (RAIL) Eng. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Subaie said that work on the long distance railway network will start early 2016, and that it is expected to be completed by the end of 2018. He pointed that similar projects in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States are in either designing or execution phase. In remarks on the sidelines of the 1st International Conference on Railway Interoperability, Standardization & Harmonization in the Middle East, Al-Subaie said that the long distance rail network need legislations and regulation, especially that it will be a new transportation means for passengers and goods between the GCC Countries. The project cost will be different for each State due to the differing lengths between the GCC countries, he said. RAIL's long distance rail network Director Abdulrahman Al-Malki said that the projects intends to make the first implementation tender offer during the second half of this year. He added that the implementation of the project will start early 2016, pointing that the total cost of RAIL projects amounts to QR 130 billion, stressing that the project plans have not been affected by the decline in oil prices. (QNA)