A joint venture between Webuild and Shibh Al Jazira Contracting (SAJCO) has been bagged near $ 1.5 billion contracts from NEOM, Saudi Arabia’s ambitious $500 billion gigaproject,to build a 57km long passenger and freight railway line.
This rail line will connect NEOM’s industrial city OXAGON with The Line development.
The contract covers the design and build for the majority of the “connector,” a rail line running between Oxagon, the region’s industrial centre, and The Line, a proposed car-free city.
The newly constructed road will stretch from The Line to NEOM City Station, passing through NEOM Bay Mansions, NEOM Bay Airport, and all the way to OXAGON. As part of this project, a 75 km railway line will be built, according to the Middle East Economic Digest. The infrastructure corridor will encompass various elements, including earthworks, 14 viaducts, seven roads, nine rail underpasses, 152 pipe and box culverts, a freight line, infrastructure maintenance depots, and associated facilities.
NEOM initiated the tender for the contract in May 2022, seeking completion of construction work on an infrastructure corridor. Although the deadline for the contract was initially set for September 1, it was subsequently adjusted several times. NEOM has enlisted the services of AuditSafe, an Egis subsidiary, and its partner Certifer as independent safety assessors for the Line railway system and the NEOM Industrial City Connector.
In addition to the ongoing construction efforts, NEOM has also called upon selected companies to submit proposals for the construction of tunnels that will serve as the railway link connecting the NEOM Connector with the Spine. Contractors are presently submitting bids for The Line’s cut-and-cover tunnel segments.
NEOM’s Oxagon
OXAGON, alternatively known as NEOM Industrial City, was officially launched in November 2021.
Positioned around the Duba seaport in the southwestern corner of NEOM, this industrial city project will include both onshore elements and offshore floating structures.
Its objectives encompass the promotion of sustainable energy, autonomous mobility, water innovation, sustainable food production, health and well-being, as well as technology and digital manufacturing, including telecommunications, space technology, robotics, and modern construction methods.
NEOM’s The Line
The Line, one of NEOM’s subprojects, commenced construction in January 2021 and is anticipated to accommodate a population of 1 million upon completion.
This 170 km-long development will feature well-connected neighborhoods that are completely free of automobiles and highways. The construction plans encompass the establishment of residential communities along the rail and infrastructure corridor, as well as a network of interconnected, high-rise skyscrapers with a mirrored design.
NEOM’s overarching vision is aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to attain exceptional standards of living, thriving businesses, and conservation reinvention. Alongside The Line and OXAGON, another subproject of NEOM is the outdoor ski resort known as Trojena.