Dubai Metro and Tram to be operated by French-Japanese consortium

Our Correspondent
The contract for the operation and maintenance of the Dubai Metro and the operation of the Dubai Tram has gone to a French-Japanese consortium. The consortium consists of three companies ¬– Keolis, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, and Mitsubishi Corporation.
The contract will be for 15 years – 9 base years and 6 renewable years – and will cost approximately AED542 million per annum.
The contract was awarded after a public tender released by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). Four consortiums and international firms specialised in rail operation and maintenance took part in the tender. Of the proposals given, the French-Japanese consortium had submitted the best technical and financial proposals.
The contract will come into effect from September 8, 2021. Until then, preparations will be made for the handover of assets and systems from the current operator to ensure a safe and smooth operation of the Dubai Metro and Tram.
“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 centres, stations and the associated infrastructure,” said RTA Chairman Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer. “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.”
There will also be the smooth transfer of employees from the current operator to the new operator, Al Tayer noted.
Keolis Group CEO Marie-Ange Debon expressed happiness in being selected to operate and maintain Dubai’s sophisticated driverless metro system and catenary-free tram system. According to her, 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.