Firms submit Dubai Metro Gold Line bids
10 June 2025
Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority has received bids from consultants for Dubai Metro’s Gold Line.
US-based Aecom submitted the lowest-priced offer at AED628m ($171m) for the five stages of the consultancy work available on the project.
Aecom’s price is about 18% lower than the second-lowest-priced offer of AED765m, which was submitted by UK-based Mott MacDonald.
The other offers are AED843m from US-based Parsons and AED1.16bn from Canada’s AtkinsRealis.
Lebanon’s Dar Al-Handasah submitted an offer of AED105m, which is understood to cover part of the consultancy work.
Stage one covers the concept design; stage two the preliminary design; and stage three the preparation of tender documents. Stage four encompasses construction supervision, and stage five covers the defects and liability period.
The Gold Line will start at Al-Ghubaiba in Bur Dubai. It will run parallel to – and alleviate pressure on – the existing Red Line, before heading inland to Business Bay, Meydan, Global Village and residential developments in Dubailand.
Blue Line
Dubai is also progressing with another metro project. A day earlier on 9 June, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, attended the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Dubai Metro Blue Line.
The contract to build and supply equipment for the Blue Line was awarded in December last year. The RTA awarded a AED20.5bn main contract to a consortium of Turkiye’s Limak Holding; Mapa Group, also of Turkiye; and the Hong Kong office of China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation.
The Blue Line consists of 14 stations, including three interchange stations at Al-Jaddaf, Al-Rashidiya and International City 1, as well as an iconic station in Dubai Creek Harbour. By 2040, daily ridership on the Blue Line is projected to reach 320,000 passengers. It marks the first Dubai Metro line to cross Dubai Creek on a 1,300-metre-long viaduct.
At the foundation stone ceremony, Sheikh Mohammed approved the design of the Emaar Properties Station at Dubai Creek Harbour, which will be the highest metro station in the world, standing at 74 metres. It has been designed by US architect Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM).
Upon the completion of the Blue Line, Dubai's total railway network will extend from 101 kilometres to 131km. This includes 120km for the Dubai Metro and 11km for Dubai Tram. The number of metro and tram stations will increase from 64 to 78, encompassing 67 stations for the Dubai Metro and 11 stations for the Dubai Tram.
Additionally, the fleet will expand from 140 to 168 trains, including 157 for the Dubai Metro and 11 for the Dubai Tram.
READ MORE: UAE accelerates its $60bn transport push
READ THE JUNE 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF
Gulf accelerates AI and data centre strategy; Baghdad keeps up project spending, but fiscal clouds gather; Banking stocks rise despite lower global oil prices
Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the June 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
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> AGENDA 1: Data centres churn investments
> AGENDA 2: Gulf seizes AI opportunities
> MEED TOP 100: Middle East stocks defy lower oil prices
> SAUDI ARABIA: Riyadh confirms capital expenditure cuts
> INTERVIEW: Mena crucial to Veolia’s growth plan
> GULF PROJECTS INDEX: Gulf projects index leaps 4.3%
> CONTRACT AWARDS: Region sees third month of weak awards activity
> ECONOMIC DATA: Data drives regional projects
> OPINION: Dealmaking trumps the Truman Doctrine
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Safety and security matters
3 April 2026
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EditorRead the April issue of MEED Business Review
Employment and investment opportunities in a low or no-tax environment have been key attractions for people and businesses located in the GCC for decades. Another crucial factor has been safety and security.
That reputation has been tested by the missile and drone attacks that began on 28 February. Whether the GCC’s safe haven status has been damaged depends on perspective.
For some, the fact that attacks occurred fundamentally changes how the region is viewed. For others, the ability to absorb a serious shock, respond quickly, and keep daily life and businesses functioning demonstrates resilience.Any assessment of safety is also relative. Many people and businesses that relocate in the GCC do so not only for opportunity, but because of dissatisfaction elsewhere. Common reasons include limited economic prospects, high taxation, distrust in political leadership and concerns about personal safety. Even with the recent conflict, the GCC may still compare favourably for those considering these factors.
There is no doubt that missile and drone attacks are extremely dangerous, and the fear of further incidents can linger. Even if attacks are infrequent, the uncertainty matters. It can influence personal decisions, travel advice, and the cost of insurance and risk management. These perceptions will shape the region’s attractiveness.
Safety concerns vary. In many parts of the world, higher levels of crime are an everyday worry for residents and businesses. For some, the GCC may still feel like the better option, provided the current tensions do not become the new normal.
How this question is answered will play an important role in how the region’s economies perform in the period ahead. If confidence returns quickly and the risk is seen as contained and manageable, investment and hiring will likely rebound faster than many expect. If uncertainty persists or escalates, the road to recovery will be a long one.
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Dubai seeks consultants for Al-Khawaneej stormwater project
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Dubai Municipality has issued a consultancy tender to assess and upgrade the stormwater drainage system serving the Al-Khawaneej First residential district in northeastern Dubai.
The project, listed as TF-22-E1, covers the upgrading and rehabilitation of the stormwater system in the area. The tender has been issued by the municipality’s Sewerage and Recycled Water Projects Department.
The bid submission deadline is 23 April.
The works form part of Dubai’s wider efforts to strengthen flood resilience and support sustainable urban infrastructure development.
Two separate consultancy tenders were issued in March as part of a broader review of the emirate’s water and wastewater infrastructure to support future population growth.
One involves a study to develop a sustainable urban drainage systems strategy across the emirate. The other covers a review of the emirate’s sewage treatment and recycled water distribution strategy.
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Additionally, the consultant will be required to identify flooding hotspots and evaluate the performance of the current system.
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Developer plans two residential schemes in Saudi Arabia
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Oman’s Nama PWP tenders consultancy contract
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Solar photovoltaic capacity in the sultanate is projected to rise from 1.54GW in 2024 to 23.26GW by 2031. Wind capacity is expected to grow from 120MW to 6.75GW,
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