Etihad Rail completes tracklaying works for the main line in Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah
Abu Dhabi, UAE—Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE National Rail Network, has completed the tracklaying works of the main line in the emirates of Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah as part of the last package of Stage Two of the project.
The main line of the UAE National Rail Network extends from Ghuweifat on the border of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and passes through the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.
In May 2022, Etihad Rail commenced track laying operations of the package, which coincided with the visit of His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court and Chairman of Etihad Rail, to inspect the latest developments.
The line in the last package of Stage Two has 54 bridges and 20 animal crossings. It also has 9 tunnels which extend over 6.9 km along Al Hajar Mountains, and include the longest tunnel in the GCC for heavy cargo, which extends over 1.8 km. This line passes through one of the most difficult geographical areas due to the mountainous terrain surrounding it.
Moving full steam ahead, Etihad Rail continues the tracklaying works in the emirate of Fujairah within the upcoming weeks, bringing it closer towards the completion of the UAE National Rail Network as scheduled. This comes in line with the goals of the National Railways Programme, the biggest integrated sustainable transport system in the UAE, which seeks to connect the Emirates via rail and accelerate the country’s sustainable economic development.
The line in Sharjah extends over 45 km and is part of the last package of the project, which is 145 km in length. Connecting the Emirate to the main line recorded more than 11.7 million work hours in 25 months.
Around 2,900 workers and engineers took part in the project, which involved the track laying works and running quality checks for the new line. The line in Ras Al Khaimah, which extends over 5.7 km and connects the Emirate to the main line, recorded more than 1.3 million hours in 25 months, by around 350 workers and engineers.
