Oman Railway Network Gets Up a Head of Steam…

With three essential contracts signed, and a design and build tender to be floated later this month, the Oman National Railway Project (ONRP) is building up a head of steam with a view to construction beginning in 2015.

Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi, Minister for Transport and Communications, signed a preliminary route design contract with Italferr worth OMR 13.58 million earlier this week. He also signed a contract with Grant Thornton Abu Timam to consult on the organisational structure of the railway venture. A third contract was signed with Dar al Takween for a corporate image and brand identity for the project.

The 2244 km long ONRP is scheduled for construction at the beginning of 2015 and completion in 2018. The first section will be built will be the 170 km Sohar - Buraimi route. The route design of this section will be complete by the end of July this year.

Dr Al Futaisi said of the project, “The preliminary design work is moving very fast. We have to select a project management consultant (soon) to review and approve the route design.”