Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has secured a large international order, valued in the range of ₹2,500 crore to ₹5,000 crore, to design and build an Automated People Mover (APM) system for Phase 1 of Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai. The project will be executed by L&T’s Transportation Infrastructure business in consortium with Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI).
The project is being developed by Dubai Aviation City Corporation and implemented through Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects as part of the airport’s long-term, multi-phase expansion programme. Once fully developed, Al Maktoum International Airport is planned to handle 260 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of freight annually, positioning it to become the world’s largest airport.
An Automated People Mover is a driverless rail-based transport system designed to move passengers between airport terminals and other key facilities. Given the planned scale of Al Maktoum International Airport, the APM system will form an important part of its internal passenger transportation infrastructure.
Under the turnkey contract, the L&T-MHI consortium will be responsible for the design, construction, supply, testing, commissioning and operational readiness of the integrated APM system.
L&T’s scope includes the design, procurement, delivery and integration of critical infrastructure and systems such as guideways, DC traction substations, power distribution, signalling and telecommunications, onboard communication systems, platform screen doors and depot equipment. The order adds to L&T’s growing international transportation infrastructure portfolio. The company is currently executing integrated rail-system projects across the Mumbai Metro, Dhaka Metro and Jakarta MRT networks, giving it experience in delivering complex urban transit systems across different markets.
The partnership with MHI also combines L&T’s capabilities in integrated infrastructure, engineering and project execution with MHI’s established expertise in Automated People Mover systems. According to L&T, the project involves challenging execution milestones, advanced technologies and multiple interfaces across guideways, power supply, telecommunications, platform systems and depot infrastructure.
The Dubai airport contract is strategically important for L&T beyond its immediate order value. The company has been expanding its presence in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, where governments are investing heavily in airports, urban transportation and next-generation mobility infrastructure.
For the broader transportation sector, the project highlights the growing role of automated rail systems within large international airports. As passenger volumes increase and airport campuses become larger, driverless people movers can provide high-capacity internal connectivity while reducing dependence on road-based shuttle systems.
The contract also strengthens L&T’s credentials in delivering integrated rail systems outside India. Successful execution at Al Maktoum International Airport could potentially position the company for further opportunities in airport transit, metro and automated mobility projects across the Middle East.
