KUALA LUMPUR: Prasarana Malaysia Bhd has won a RM9 million contract to provide operations and maintenance (O&M) consultancy services for phase one of the Makkah Public Transport Program Metro (Makkah Metro), its first international job since it ventured overseas last year.

It would be responsible for the provision of the services to the Makkah Mass Rail Transit Company during the construction of phase one of Makkah Metro, said the nation’s leading owner and operator of mass public transport systems and services in a press release yesterday. This covers two lines over 22 stations spanning 45.1km, including a 24.9km underground rail network.

“We would be responsible to conduct preliminary and detailed design reviews for the project in addition to developing the O&M specifications and service agreements for the future contractor.

“We would also support and advise the client in the development of safety and security strategies, as well as rules and regulations in addition to sharing best practices for metro operations,” said Prasarana group managing director Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar in the press release.

The 30-month consultancy services contract is expected to begin in December 2014, he said. It was also noted that phase one of the Makkah Metro is expected to be commissioned by 2019.

Shahril said the win will enhance Prasarana’s position to secure bids for the O&M of the four Makkah Metro lines, and the O&M of the Al-Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro Southern Line Project, which caters to millions of pilgrims during the Haj season.

“We are also focused on completing the Bus Rapid Transit Sunway Line in mid-2015, the LRT Line Extension Project, as well as preparing for the operations of the MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line,” he added.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on November 28, 2014.