Riyadh metro on track despite budget cuts, says Italian contractor

Saudi Arabia has not cut the value of the Riyadh metro project, despite the kingdom’s recent austerity measures amid lower oil prices, Pietro Bagnati, project director for the Italian construction group Salini Impregilo, told AFP on Tuesday.

“We are progressing. The project is going on satisfactorily. It is a priority project for the government,” Bagnati added.

In 2013, the rail system contract was awarded at SAR 84.4 billion ($22.5 billion) to three consortiums, of which Saudi-based ArRiyadh New Mobility consortium won $5.21 billion contracts, Argaam earlier reported.

When complete, the metro will span 176 km and include 85 stations.

By the end of 2016, about 45 percent of project construction was complete.