A long-delayed railway project to connect Kuwait with other Gulf countries took a step forward last month when the Minister of Public Works Noura Al Mashaan signed a major contract with Turkish company Proyapi to design the first phase of the plan.

 The scope of work includes comprehensive study, detailed design, and tender document preparation, reported Reuters.

 The consultancy contract was awarded to Proyapi in January for approximately KD2.5 million ($8.1 million), with the advisory period set to last about a year. The Kuwaiti part of the project is scheduled to be completed by 2030.

The Kuwaiti segment of this ambitious project will feature a 111-km track running from Shadadiya (site of the main Kuwait railway station on a 2-million-sq-m plot) to Nuwaiseeb on the southern border with Saudi Arabia. This strategic project aligns with the GCC vision to establish a 2,177-km transnational railway network connecting all member states from Kuwait to Oman, reported Arab Times.

 The six GCC countries agreed to build the network in 2009 and construction has started on railways in the UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia. Once completed, the network will serve both passenger and freight transportation needs across the region.

 Ministry of Public Works spokesperson Ahmed Al Saleh said the signing signalled the launch of the project in Kuwait. Al Saleh said it was not possible to determine the final cost of the Kuwaiti part of the project until the final design is completed.