The north-south rail project, from the northern mineral belt to Jubail, is currently in the planning stage and necessary modalities are being worked out toward its implementation, Transport Minister Dr. Jabara Seraisry said here yesterday. "Tenders have already been issued and other modalities are in progress," the minister told reporters on the sidelines of the 26th Saudi International Motor Show, which he opened at the Jeddah International Exhibition Center. Two other rail projects, at a cost of SR10 billion, are currently in the planning stage. One project will link Jeddah with Dammam with a 1,000-km railway line and the other will link Jeddah with Makkah and Madinah and will include an extension to the port of Yanbu. This 500-km line will facilitate the transport of pilgrims. The Supreme Economic Council, chaired by Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz, the Deputy Premier and Commander of the National Guard has already approved the projects, according to Khaled Al-Yahya, chairman of the Saudi Railways Organization. All these projects are being established with private sector support. At present, an agreement is being worked out with financial and legal consultants whose job will be to market the projects. The consultants will also set out rules to regulate the relations between the state and the private investment groups entrusted with the task of implementing the projects. --MORE 1058 Local Time 0758 GMT
