Bahrain’s transport ministry will “soon” begin calling for bids to pre-qualify developers on phase 1 of Bahrain Metro, Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, the country’s minister of transport and telecommunications, said.
The tender will be floated within the next month or two, the minister told The National on the sidelines of the Middle East Rail exhibition in Dubai on Tuesday.
“We expect to go to market soon to pre-qualify developers that can participate in phase 1 of Bahrain Metro,” he said. “It’s a process. We have to start with pre-qualifications, receive bids, evaluate them and then we can go to the next phase after getting all the approvals from the government.”
Phase 1 of the Bahrain Metro network’s ambitious plans comprises two lines with an estimated length of 29 kilometres. There will be 20 stations with two interchanges. The entire network of the electric driverless train system spans 109km and will be executed in phases. Upon completion, the system will have the capacity to transport 43,000 passengers per hour.
Valued at an estimated $1.5 billion to $2bn, the project is touted as part of Bahrain’s sustainable urban mobility goals.
Bahrain, the smallest economy in the Gulf, has faced economic headwinds during the Covid-19 pandemic. Its economy is estimated to have shrunk 5.4 per cent in 2020, driven by a sharp contraction in non-oil output.
According to International Monetary Fund projections, Bahrain’s economy contracted 7 per cent but is set to expand 3.3 per cent this year on the back of its quick response to minimise the economic fallout of the pandemic.
The country’s non-oil economy will grow 3.9 per cent in 2021 as widespread vaccine distribution revives economic activity towards pre-crisis levels, according to the IMF.
At a glance
- 20,000 new jobs for Emiratis over three years
- Dh300 million set aside to train 18,000 jobseekers in new skills
- Managerial jobs in government restricted to Emiratis
- Emiratis to get priority for 160 types of job in private sector
- Portion of VAT revenues will fund more graduate programmes
- 8,000 Emirati graduates to do 6-12 month replacements in public or private sector on a Dh10,000 monthly wage - 40 per cent of which will be paid by government
RESULT
Arsenal 0 Chelsea 3
Chelsea: Willian (40'), Batshuayi (42', 49')
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
