SC Officials Visit Tunnel Boring Machine at Qatar Rail Site

Doha, September 17 (QNA) - A number of officials in the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), recently visited the Qatar Rail metro line which will connect two of the proposed venues for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar with the Msheireb downtown area. Nine SC employees, led by Non-Competition Venues Director Fatima Fakhro, visited the site where the tunnel boring machine was about to be launched at Green Line Al Messilia. It is the first of four machines which will be used to create tunnels which measure 7m in diameter, said SC in a press statement today. The visit continued in the line of close coordination between the SC and the vital stakeholder that is Qatar Rail, and provided staff with a new perspective on the Metro project, according to Fakhro: "The team has been working closely with Qatar Rail for several years. This visit gave us an opportunity to see first-hand the results of the work weve been discussing. Looking at the tunnel boring machine in action brought to life all of our meetings and plans." Qatar Rail was established in 2011 and mandated to develop a world-class, efficient public transportation system, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. Once complete, the system will consist of a Metro, as well as long distance and light rail transit. It will cover 750km and include 100 passenger and freight stations. "Our visit also helped provide us with a new perspective on the project and has instilled in the team greater confidence, pride and appreciation for the efforts that have been put into the project. We hope to continue our positive collaboration with Qatar Rail as they progress with their programme," Fakhro added. In total, the 21 tunnel boring machines will create approximately 67 kilometres of twin bore tunnel through the limestone foundation of the Qatari capital. Combined with the elevated sections, the underground sections will be ready for the opening of the Doha Metro in 2019. Integrated with air, ground and sea transport, the Metros Red, Green and Gold lines will offer football fans and media a fast and cost-effective way of moving around the country, providing easy access to the stadiums and tourist attractions around the country. The rapid connections brought about by the new Metro will allow fans to attend several matches a day and spend more time enjoying the tournament. (QNA)