The participation of the private sector in railway projects has reached high levels and local manufacturers’ contracts stand at 61%, a senior official of Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail) has said.
Qatar Rail managing director Abdulla Abdulaziz al-Subaie made the observation while speaking on the industry awareness day, which Qatar Rail will host on May 7 - under the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani - to meet with the local private sector.
The event will be inaugurated by HE the Minister of Transport Jassim bin Saif al-Sulaiti.
Qatar Rail will allocate a full day to present in business opportunities available for the private sector in rail projects and launch the pre-qualification process for Doha Metro and Lusail tram operations as well as the management of their related facilities.
During the meeting, the private sector will be informed of all potential business opportunities within these projects to encourage their participation and facilitate initial communication with Qatar Rail contractors.
Al-Subaie said: “The aim of this event is to encourage the participation of the private sector by investing in the country’s mega projects, and to fulfil the national vision through involving the private sector in the rail projects in order to create a solid partnership between the public and private sectors.
“The participation of the private sector in rail projects has reached high levels, such that local manufacturers’ contracts are at 61% - as we relied on manufacturers of raw materials and providers of transportation equipment to supply what’s needed in terms of cement, sand, iron - in addition to the private companies’ 15% share of joint venture contracts for the Doha Metro and Lusail Light Rail Transit.”
Despite the fact that the railways sector is new to the region and requires the latest technologies and specialised skills that might be difficult to be fully supplied locally, Qatar Rail has encouraged private companies to bid for joint venture contracts with international companies, according to a statement. This is because the local companies have a lot of expertise in existing systems and logistics in the country’s projects, while international companies have the needed know-how to build the rail network, thereby forming a strong alliance and meeting all the requirements to complete the projects.
Abdulla Abdulaziz al-Subaie
