MEED reported that the New Doha International Airport Steering Committee has extended the tender closing date to November 3rd 2009 for a contract to build a railway station at the USD 11 billion New Doha International Airport.

The client changed the original closing date of October 20th 2009 to give bidders more time to prepare.

The tender is the first construction contract on any of the 5 rail networks Doha is planning to build over the next 10 years. UK based Mace International is the project manager for the scheme, known as the Passenger Railway Station Box.

The project involves building a railway station terminal for an express airport rail line that will connect to rail and metro stations in downtown Doha and other rail networks. Sources familiar with the project said that the steering committee wants to finish the station in time for the opening of the first 2 phases of the new airport in 2011.

Doha plans to build several rail lines and other public transport networks over the next decade. The Trade & Business Ministry will invite consultants to submit proposals in 2010 for a national railway system. Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company in partnership with Germany’s Deutsche Bahn has already developed a conceptual design for a national railway system in Qatar.

The companies’ multi billion dollar concept design has 5 components: an east coast rail link between Ras Laffan and Mesaieed, a high speed link from Doha to Bahrain across the Qatar and Bahrain Causeway, a freight link connecting to the planned GCC rail network, a Doha metro network and a light rail network serving residential developments.

(Sourced from MEED)