As tunneling work on the Doha Metro wraps up, Qatar Rail is turning its attention to the stations, and has recently placed an order for 500 energy-efficient elevators and escalators.

Finland-based engineering company Kone Corporation announced yesterday it has won a contract to supply the items for the Red Line and Gold Line stations.

The order includes 189 elevators, 253 escalators and 102 moving walkways (autowalks), it said in a statement.

Pierre Liautaud, executive vice president for KONE South Europe, Middle East and Africa, said:

“We are very proud and pleased to work with Qatar Rail on this new and exciting project.

That (the equipment) will enable people to move smoothly and comfortably, with the shortest possible waiting time.”

37 stations

When the metro first opens to the public in late 2019 or early 2020, there will be 37 stations serving three routes (the Red, Gold and Green lines).

Msheireb will serve as a hub between lines, and “rapid progress” is being made there, Dr. Markus Demmler, senior director of Qatar Integrated Rail Project, told the Supreme Committee of Delivery and Legacy in December.

Concrete work is progressing and civil work is scheduled for completion toward the later part of 2017, with the station set to be complete by mid-2018, he added.

Tunneling

Earlier this month, Qatar Rail said work to dig out the tunnels for the metro line is 89 percent complete, with 99km out of 111km of tunnels done.

Tunneling for the northern section of the Red Line and the whole of the Green line finished at the end of March. The rest of the work is scheduled to be wrapped up by this fall.

Now, construction is shifting to installing electrical equipment and completing the structure of the first 37 stations.

The rail company has also announced the design for the upcoming metro, saying the driverless trains will be inspired by the swift and sleek Arabian Mare.

Thoughts?