Doha Metro Train 39% Complete, Tunneling is at 89%

In a joint venture between Qatar Rail and QDVC (Qatari Diar Vinci Construction), they gave an overview for their project about the Redline South Underground on Phase 1 of the Doha Metro recently.

According to Dermot O’Meara (Redline South Underground Project Director), the project is now 39% complete and the tunneling is 89% as of April 28, 2016, 112 million man hours was spent. This will include Green line, Gold line and Red line for the Phase 1 of the Doha Metro.

doha metro train construction

Photo credit: Qatar Rail

The Doha Metro is one of three projects by Qatar Rail. The other two projects include the Lusail Light Rail Transit (LLRT) and Long Distance Passenger and Freight Rail.

The Doha metro is intended to revolutionise the way people move about their day in Doha and the suburbs, and will have positive economic and social implications on the nation.

Currently on the site, there are 34,000 workers and soon there will be 3 metro lines with 37 stations. The traveling speed of these new metro trains will be up to 100 km/hr, these would be the fastest driverless trains and will be completed in the year of 2019-2020.

Setting the Guinness World Record for “The Largest Number of Tunnel Boring Machines Operating Simultaneously in a Single Project” Dermot proved that there would be 21 tunnel boring machines (TBM).

Saud al Dolaima and Bertrand Xavier (QDVC representatives) told the audience that the construction of subways was their biggest challenge their team faced. The reason it was challenging was due to the lack of utilities present and the busy traffic around the sites.

Just like what happened at the Umm Ghuwailina Station by the Toyota Junction, the average traffic flow of 10,000 vehicles per hour, because it connects Corniche, West Bay, Souq Waqif and C-Ring Road.

As part of the project, the 110 utility services need to be protected and diverted. QDVC’s professional team formulated a procedure of “Pipe Roofing Utility Support” to help the utilities from below, slightly than the traditional method of protection from above.

Their procedure include lessening the traffic impact, give safety to public and works, reduce impact of environment, reduce time, narrowing interface with stakeholders, saving cost and most importantly to “Keep Doha Moving”.

Video of Doha Metro

Video by Qatar Rail | YouTube