Larsen & Toubro’s Heavy Civil Infrastructure business has won a major international contract valued between Rs 5,000 crore and Rs 10,000 crore from the Royal Commission for Riyadh City for the extension of the Riyadh Metro’s Red Line in Saudi Arabia. The order is part of an ultra-mega metro expansion programme being executed through a global consortium, further reinforcing L&T’s position in large-scale urban mass transit projects overseas.
The project has been awarded to a consortium comprising Webuild, Larsen & Toubro, Nesma & Partners Contracting, Alstom and IDOM. As part of the contract, the consortium will undertake the design and turnkey construction of an 8.4-kilometre extension of the Red Line, which will include a combination of elevated viaducts and underground sections, along with five new metro stations.
The scope of work involves approximately 1.3 km of elevated alignment and nearly 7.1 km of underground tunnelling, with most of the subterranean construction planned using tunnel boring machines. Of the five stations, three will be built underground. The extension will be fully integrated with Riyadh’s existing driverless and automated metro network, maintaining uniform operational and safety standards.
The Red Line extension is aimed at improving connectivity to key urban growth corridors and major development zones within Riyadh, including areas undergoing large-scale urban and cultural transformation. The project is expected to play a critical role in enhancing commuter mobility, easing traffic congestion and supporting sustainable transportation solutions in the Saudi capital.
Riyadh Metro is one of the world’s largest fully automated urban rail networks, spanning six lines and covering nearly 176 km. Since its phased commissioning, the metro system has emerged as the backbone of public transportation in the city, and the Red Line extension will further strengthen network capacity to meet rising ridership demand.
For Larsen & Toubro, the project underscores its proven expertise in executing complex metro infrastructure involving deep tunnelling, elevated corridors and high-capacity stations. The order also strengthens L&T’s international footprint in the Middle East and highlights its ability to deliver technologically advanced mass transit projects in challenging urban environments.
