The licensing agreement was signed at the SRO headquarters in Dammam after receiving approval from the organization's board of directors.
President of SRO Abdul Aziz Al-Hokail pointed out that the granting of an operating license and a safety certificate is part of the authority exercised by the organization as the body entrusted with the powers and functions of the Saudi Railways Commission, which was constituted by a royal decree.
The commission's goals include regulating railway transport activity, supervise operational safety, license providers of railway services, set technical standards and conditions relating to the use of railway facilities, regulate the terms and conditions of access to railway facilities as well as monitor performance of duties.
Al-Hokail added that a team of experts from the SRO prepared a complete report expressing satisfaction with the level of equipment and availability of basic requirements for the operation and efficiency of infrastructure as well as the level of technical and operational standards to run the automated people mover safely.
Al-Hokail explained that SRO's experts during their assessment engaged actively with representatives of the operating company, which is part of the Saudi Binladin Group. The team tested all systems before issuing the final safety verification certificates as well as the operating license.
The SRO experts also checked all operating systems and reviewed safety management systems and procedures for safe operation as well as the documents required for issuing the certificates.
"The granting of this new operating license is to confirm the keenness of the Railway Commission to develop the rail transport sector in the Kingdom, and ensure the promotion and strengthening of competition between the operators in order to achieve the best possible level of improved services provided to the users of railway services,” said Al-Hokail.
He congratulated the Ports Projects Management and Development Company of the Binladin Group on passing this evaluation and being granted the operating license and the safety certificate.
Al-Hokail added: “We are confident that this national company has the capacity and the necessary technology to enrich the rail transport sector in the country. This license is the first of its kind in the Kingdom and the Railways Commission is currently considering granting similar licenses to the Al-Mashair railway project linking the holy sites as well as the north–south train, which is supervised and operated by the Saudi Railway Company.”
