Dubai, 11 September 2004(WAM)--The first rail enginesto chug across the sands of the Southern Arabian Peninsula this centurywill soon be selected, according to the promoters of the US $3,89 billionDubai Light Rail Project.

The ambitious project, which aims to connect various parts of the mushroomingcity of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, is presently in the tenderingstage, according to promoter Dubai Municipality.

"The Dubai Light Rail Project is currently in the tendering stage," saidQassim Sultan, Director General of Dubai Municipality, while explainingabout the status of the project.

"The estimated cost of the project is Dhs14.3 bi1lion (US $3.89) bi1lion.

However, the actual cost of the project will only be known after the tendershave been announced, and that should be fairly soon," Sultan said.

He added that the Main Contractor for the project is in the process ofbeing finalised. "Though the project is extremely sophisticated and requiresan extremely high level of expertise even on the international scale,Dubai Municipality's current schedule of the project envisages that sitepreparation and ground works could start in another six month's time.

This, of course, will ultimately be decided by the qualification of theMain Contractor," said the Dubai Municipality Director General.

He said, apart from the appraisal process for the tender, the SupremeCommittee in charge of the Dubai Light Rail project is busy evaluatingvarious related sub-projects such as the sourcing of the rail enginesand the cars that are to carry the passengers across the city of Dubai.

"The passenger rail s6stem will run on the Southern Arabian Peninsulafor the first time. Early in the 20f century, the Hejaz network used tooperate in the north. We are busy evaluating various options and equipment.

Wc expected to,very soon announce the name of the company and the countryfrom which wc will source the train engines and cars," said the DubaiMunicipality Director General.

Each train will be approximately 75 metres long, consisting of 5 cars,with numerous double doors allowing fast and smooth flows of passengersat stations. They will be driverless, fully automated, offering an extremelysafe and reI iable service with trains which could run as often as oneevery minute and "The Dubai Light Rail Project was born out ofthe visionary directivesof His Highness General Sheikh MohaIhIned bin Rashid AI Maktoum, CrownPrince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defenee, who foresaw the need to putin place modem and up-ta-date Intelligent Transportation Systems to caterto the rapidly burgeoning city of Dubai, which expects 15 mi11ion visitorsby 2010," said Sultan.MORE