MEED reported that Consulting Engineering Services is the low bidder for the contract to carry out the feasibility study for Oman's Batinah Railway.

As per report the Indian group is one of a number of local and international engineering businesses bidding to plan the 260 kilometer line which will run along Oman's northern coast. Other bidders include the local Cowi & Partners, Saudi Arabia's Hamdan Consulting and Lebanon's Khatib & Alami and Dar al-Handasah.

Among the international bidders are four UK firms: Bovis, Scott Wilson Railway, Mott MacDonald and WS Atkins; Finland's Modern Engineering; three US firms, Reinhardt Consultancy, Merritt International, and Parsons Brinkerhoff; Germany's Dornier Consulting and DB International; Italy's Italfeer; Systra from France and South Korea's Sunjin and LG International.

The winning bidder will plan all elements of the design for the railway, including passenger and freight services. The line is intended to provide an alternative to traveling by car on the Batinah highway, which runs parallel to the railway's route, relieving traffic congestion.

A winner is expected to be confirmed during October.