Found in last week's Middle East Economic Digest, dated 19-25 October 2007. The on-line version is available on a subscription-only basis, so I've typed it in here as an article of general interest.
Contractors ask for more time to complete urban rail network
The $4,600 million project to build the red and green lines on the Dubai Metro scheme could be facing delays of up to one year after contractors on the scheme indicated to the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) that they need more time to complete work on the project.
According to several senior sources on the scheme, the JT Metro joint venture executing the civil engineering and construction works is seeking an extension to complete the project. “The amount of time being discussed is changing, but it is several hundred days,” says a consultant working on the project.
Significant changes in the design of the system are understood to be the reason for discussion. The client, the RTA, has revised the design of the project since the contract was awarded to the Dubai Urban Rail Link (Durl) consortium in 2005, and the contractors are now seeking more time to accommodate these changes.
“Almost everything has changed except the tunnel diameters and the viaducts,” says a source on the project. “It is very different to the specifications provided in the tender documents.”
However, it is unclear whether an extension will be granted by the RTA. The project is one of the most critical in Dubai as it is required to alleviate the chronic congestion currently experienced on the emirate’s roads.
“The RTA is adamant that the red line will open on 9 September 2009,” says the source. “So the consortium may be compensated to get it finished on time.”
The RTA denies that there has been a request for more time to complete the project. “The RTA is not aware of any such request,” says a spokeswoman.
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14 comments:
Well, whaddya know. Sounds a lot like this: if architects were web designers. PS, thank you Goat for breaking the post-Zayed post drought!
that is cuz of the rushing, which is very usual in dubai. Clients ask the consultant to finish the design very quickly to start the construction, consultant try to do that to have the fat contract with out an adequate consideration for other disciplines , engineering geotechnical, fire.. . After those going into the project, major changes need to be in the design . And more time & money are spending than need with proper study
@Spectrum: I don't think this is the case. There was quite a long design and tendering phase before the contract was awarded. The companies that tendered are all international names that would not have bid on the basis of an incomplete/unworkable specification.
^^
It may be the case or client changing the mind. Problem not in bidding but in the time to restudy the changes with all the companies.
...restudy the changes with all the companies
Hardly. The damn thing's half-built already!
At the rate these guys are working, they should have blue and the red and the green and the whatever; up or down, running much earlier than the deadline!
So what’s it mean? Don't tell me, we have to endure more months of mad jam traffic in this insomniac of a city?
There was this article the other day on how the Metro was being finished in record time because of the "culture" here. Obviously it was stated that it would take longer in other countries while here it was possible to finish in record time because people here are hard working and the culture here supports hard working people
"Leadership, decision making, cutting out bureaucratic red tape, open-door policy and cultural norms are among the main factors that are leading to completion of the Dubai Metro in record time and on schedule. "
http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/11/04/10164908.html
Funny how a number of such "factors" were absent during implementation of Salik.
I suspect it's the bridges.
Has anyone noticed how the elevated tracks stop either side of any interchange, e.g. IC 3 Al Manara. Judging with free eye the track will leave a clearance of about two foot.
I trust they are working on a Dubai solution: Lower the Interchanges instead.
fact is projects usually take shorter time here so stop blabbering.
an result of RTA's strategic planning! don't tell me they will add another line to the one being constructed... If this is the case then for sure we will have 8 more toll gates shooting up to fund the damn thing!
Does using Salik entitle me to a discount on the Metro?
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