ALGERIA’s National Railway Investment Design and Implementation Supervision Agency (Anesrif) has issued two tenders for a project to construct a new 495km railway between Laghouat, Ghardaia and El-Meniaa in the south of the country.
Together the tenders are worth more than $US 2.6bn and cover construction of the entire line along with procurement of rolling stock and other works. Passenger trains will operate at up to 220km/h on the railway and freight at 160km/h. The African Development Bank is providing a $US 870m to partly finance the project, which is expected to stimulate economic development in southern Algeria by easing the movement of agricultural and industrial products to market.
The first construction contract for the 265km Laghouat - Ghardaja stretch is worth approximately $US 1.4bn. The section will have five stations and will require the construction of 21 viaducts, one tunnel and 55 culverts.
The second contract will cover the 230km Ghardaia - El-Meniaa section. It is expected to be worth $US 1.2bn and includes three stations as well as six viaducts and 35 other structures.
According to The Middle East Economic Digest, Anserif is currently evaluating proposals for separate project supervision contracts for the Laghouat - Ghardaia and Ghardaia - El-Meniaa sections. Contractors have also been invited to expressions of interest for a client engineering contract for the entire project.
Algeria successfully opened the 575km Western Mining Railway Line on February 1. China Rail Construction Corporation (CRCC) was the lead contractor for the project working alongside Algerian state-owned engineering company, Cosider Travaux Publics.
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