UAE to form national railway entity

Abu Dhabi, Oct 16, 2008 (WAM) - The UAE government will soon set up a company that will oversee the construction and operation of a national rail transport system in the country, a senior official told “Gulf News” yesterday.

The creation of this entity will speed up the development a railway link stretching from Fujairah to Abu Dhabi, said Abdullah Salem Al Katheeri, director of land transport at the National Transport Authority.

An announcement in this regard is expected "anytime" and thereafter "things will move quickly" to start work on the project, which has been talked about for several years.
"The UAE is in the process of finalising legal formalities of creating a railway company. It will be announced shortly," Al Katheeri said at a rail industry conference organised by MEED.

The UAE rail network will eventually be aligned with the planned Gulf Cooperation Council-wide rail link for which a detailed study has been completed.

The study was to be approved by a meeting of Gulf transport ministers in Doha yesterday. Al Katheeri said the report's findings look "very good" but he did not offer details. – Gulf News