Gulf railway network 'under study'

[abdulla]

Originally Posted by Trade Arabia

The GCC is studying a project to build a grand railway network to connect all Gulf states, a top official was quoted as saying in Abu Dhabi.
Mohammed bin Ubeid Al Mazroie, GCC assistant secretary-general for Economic Affairs, made the announcement during in a lecture at the Information Affairs Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in Abu Dhabi.
Al Mazroie, quoted by the Khaleej Times, also said the GCC Transportation Ministers Committee had been assigned to prepare a detailed feasibility study on the project and present its recommendations to the 25th Session of the Supreme Council to approve it.
In this context, he asked Saudi Arabia to prepare the bidding application documents and terms of reference for the feasibility study on the project.
The rail track will run along Eastern Coast of the Arabian Peninsula linking the six GCC member states, from Kuwait to Muscat, running in particular through the industrial ports and areas in the Arabian Gulf.
He said the railway project complemented other major projects such the GCC grid network, water linkage, and the intelligent ID card project that will facilitate movement of GCC citizens between the Gulf countries.
“Two holy cities, Makkah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia will also be connected to all GCC nations to facilitate those people who visit the city for holy pilgrimage, “ he said in reply to a question.
When asked whether other countries will join this project he said, “Iraq will join this and Turkey is supposed to join it later likewise we hope about Yemen as well.”
He outlined the contents of the final report related to the feasibility study in general, the type of railway line and its environmental impacts, the obstacles lying ahead and the means of overcoming them, and the costs and time frame for implementing the project.
According to a Khaleej Times report, Al Mazroie said the project would boost relations and co-operation among GCC peoples.
The cost will be the same for all nations, he explained.

source: Trade Arabia

[MichelleB]

Very Good Idea, Lets hope something comes of this.

[Ahmed Alzayani]

Originally Posted by MichelleB

Very Good Idea, Lets hope something comes of this.

yes something will come... maybe in 2020 or even 2030.

i hope they used Maglev train technology.

[AAk_Bah]

Solid idea. Keep Iraq out of the loop and it will be a financial success for the Arab Gulf.

[abdulla]

yea, just imagine all the security issues they have to deal with if Iraq is to join.

[abdulla]

Originally Posted by Gulf Daily News

A PROPOSED railway network connecting the GCC countries, including Bahrain, will be discussed at a major conference in Dubai next month.
Transport experts from across the region are expected to attend the event, which will examine the latest developments in urban and inter-urban rail networks.
The fourth Middle East Rail Projects Conference will take place at the Park Hyatt in Dubai on October 30 and 31.
The two-day event will bring together regional and international leaders to share the latest industry trends and provide fresh intelligence on integrating urban and inter-urban rail networks.
Among the keynote speakers will be director-general of the Arab Union of Railways Mourhaf Sabhouni, GCC General Secretariat transport director Sultan Al Ghanim and Dubai Roads and Transport Authority director of planning Abdulredha Abu Al Hassan.
Companies from Bahrain are expected to attend and international law firm Norton Rose has already signed up.
GCC assistant secretary-general for economic affairs Mohammed bin Ubeid Al Mazroie said early this month that a project to build a grand railway network connecting all countries in the Gulf region was being studied.
He said that the project aimed to achieve co-ordination, interconnection and integration among GCC states in all fields.
The conference will feature an update report on the GCC railway network, assess the opportunities arising from the proposal and what needs to be done next as well as information on all other projects in the region.
Experts say the estimated value of rail projects in the Middle East and North Africa is more than $30 billion (BD11.3bn), as increasing road-traffic congestion has encouraged governments to look at other forms of transportation.
"Finding a reliable source of finance has always been the main challenge in the development of rail projects, not just to cover the capital construction cost but also for the day-to-day running of the systems," said Middle East Economic Digest events chairman Edmund O'Sullivan.
International legal firm Herbert Smith will sponsor the conference.
Plans for a railway connecting Bahrain and the GCC were first mooted in June 2004 when Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa approved the proposal at a cabinet meeting.

source: Gulf Daily News