Sharjah tunnel contract for Kapsch

Kapsch TrafficCom has been awarded a five-year system implementation and maintenance deal for five tunnels by Sharjah Roads & Transport Authority (SRTA) in the United Arab Emirates.

The tunnels are located on the road that connects the port city of Khorfakkan with the rest of the emirate through the Hajar Mountains, cutting driving time to the capital, Sharjah, from over 100 minutes to around 45 minutes. 

There will be three years of delivery, followed by two more of maintenance, with Kapsch responsible for enhancing the operational efficiency, safety and regulatory compliance of the tunnel systems. It is worth "double digit millions" of euros, the company says.

There is an option to add AI-driven advanced traffic management systems.

Carolin Treichl, EVP EMEA at Kapsch TrafficCom, says: "The new system increases traffic safety, improves air quality and potentially saves lives with incident detection, fire detection, and firefighting systems.

Michael Weber, Kapsch head of sales EMEA, adds: “This is an essential project for us that will allow us to grow our presence in the region. The technology we are deploying here is also used in other infrastructure projects in Europe and the US to great success.”

Dr Mohsin Bin Balwan, director of traffic engineering at SRTA, says: “This project underscores our commitment to develop and maintain a robust transportation infrastructure that fosters the emirate's sustainable development and growth."

He called it a "pivotal step towards Sharjah’s vision for AI-driven and intelligent transport ecosystem solutions".