Infrastructure work at the 4.38km2 Dubai Expo 2020 site in Dubai South is set to get underway a year after excavation work started in September 2015.
More than 4.7 million cubic metres of earth have been removed in preparation for the start of the main construction phase – enough sand to fill about 1,800 Olympic swimming pools.
The first infrastructure package, which is one of four packages totalling AED 1.3bn ($353mn), is due to commence shortly and will be completed by April 2018, news agency WAM said.
The second package will go to tender shortly and will include deep infrastructure for the gated area of the site. The third and final infrastructure package will include the surface road network.
Major procurement packages will be awarded in 2016 to support the development of the Exhibition Centre and Shade Structure.
Ongoing planning and procurement of the construction and site-wide logistics continues to ensure the site will be ready for participants to begin work on their respective pavilions beginning in April 2018.
All infrastructure work will be completed by October 2019.
So far, more than 8,000 local and international companies have registered on Expo 2020 Dubai’s procurement portal with Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) making up more than 3,100 of businesses registered on the portal.
The total value of all contracts and purchase orders to date is around AED 1.95bn