Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has awarded the contract for the operation and maintenance of the Dubai Metro and Tram to a French-Japanese consortium.
The consortium consists of three companies namely Keolis, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, and Mitsubishi Corporation. The contract is for 15 years (9 base years and 6 renewable years), with an annual value of $147 million (Dh542 million).
The contract was awarded after the RTA issued a public tender, in which four consortia and foreign companies specializing in rail operation and maintenance competed. The contract was awarded to the French-Japanese consortium for submitting the best technical and financial proposals after the submissions were evaluated.
The consortium shall cater to the operation and maintenance of Dubai Metro as well as the operation of Dubai Tram as of September 8th, 2021. Prior to that, preparations will be made for the handover of assets and systems from the current operator to the new operator, to ensure the safe and smooth operation of the Dubai Metro and Tram once the contract begins.
Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer Director-General – RTA
“According to the contract, the consortium shall undertake the operation and maintenance services of the Dubai Metro Red and Green lines as well as Route 2020. It will also cater to the operation of Dubai Tram, and all assets of the metro and tram networks including trains, control centers, stations, and the associated infrastructure. It shall also attend to the provision of high-class passenger transport services compatible with the daily changing requirements in the number of metro and tram riders. During the preparatory period, the consortium shall be in full coordination with the current operator to take over the tasks and ensure high safety levels for network users. The process entails continuous monitoring of the safety and the continued improvement of the metro and tram systems and requires coordination between the metro, tram, and other means of transport. It also requires the smooth transfer of employees from the current operator to the new operator.”
Mr. Tayler added, “The contract also covers the operation and maintenance of the automated metro and fare systems including the selling and recharging of nol cards at the metro stations. It calls for providing senior, technical and administrative posts for Emiratis and training them on the rail work. RTA is keen on qualifying citizens and offering them exposure to international expertise in the operation and maintenance of the rail systems, which is new to the region.”
“We are honored to have been selected, along with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering and Mitsubishi Corporation, by RTA to operate and maintain Dubai’s sophisticated driverless metro system and catenary-free tram system. Keolis boasts extensive experience in managing automated metro and tram networks, and as a multimodal operator working closely with 300 public transport authorities every day to guarantee safe, reliable, and passenger-focused mobility solutions, we look forward to nurturing a collaborative partnership with RTA to deliver their vision of smart, sustainable and convenient public transportation for the city,” commented Keolis Group CEO Marie-Ange Debon.
Metro and Tram network
Dubai’s metro and tram network spans about 100 kilometers (90km for the Red and Green Lines including Route 2020, and 10.6km for the Tram line). The network has 64 stations (53 metro and 11 tram), with 129 metro trains and 11 trams serving them. The total number of annual metro and tram riders is around 210 million.
