Bechtel-Led Consortium Begins Construction on Saudi Arabia’s Underground Rail System; Amjad Bangash Comments

A Bechtel-led consortium has started tunneling work on the two rail lines in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia under a $10 billion construction contract for an underground rail network.

Bechtel is collaborating with Siemens, Almabani General Contractors and Consolidated Contractors Co. to integrate the two rail lines and develop train cars, electrification and signaling components for the Riyadh Metro rail system project, Bechtel said Tuesday.

The consortium will deploy seven boring machines to build 35-kilometer-long tunnels for the proposed 39 train stations, which include two rail interchanges.

“Getting early agreement on the alignment in the heart of the city was crucial to advance the detailed design work needed to start tunneling,” said Amjad Bangash, Bechtel’s director on the project. “We appreciate the efforts that our client, Arriyadh Development Authority, and many other stakeholders undertook in helping us achieve this.”