Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) expects to award the remaining 38 contracts worth approximately RM2 billion, by year-end.

Its director of strategic communications and public relations, Amir Mahmood Razak, said 47 of the 85 packages worth over RM20 billion had been awarded, with 47 percent of the projects going to bumiputera contractors.

“The balance of the projects are not so big, including some system packages,” he told a media briefing on the V2 MRT Viaduct Works from Kota Damansara to Dataran Sunway, today.

When asked about the MRT lines two and three, Amir said the group had yet to be informed of its progress by the government.

“They are still undertaking the feasibility study. I think the plan is to announce the lines at least by the first half of next year.

“If the new lines are to be announced by then, we will be able to award some of the new contracts by end-2013. That would be a fair estimate,” he added.

Meanwhile, MRT Corp today announced the commencement of the works on the MRT 2 worth RM863.4 million, earlier awarded to Gadang Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd.

Gadang Engineering managing director Khew Check Kiet said the work was over approximately 5.14 kilometres and would be the alignment for three MRT stations, namely, Taman Industri Sungai Buloh, PJU and Dataran Sunway.

“The contract period of 43 months is expected to be physically completed on Feb 29, 2016, and during the construction period, we will minimise potential environmental impact such as noise, vibration and dust pollution,” he added.

Khew said the construction industry was looking good for the next two to three years and the company’s order book currently stood at RM1.5 billion which would last for two years.

“Ongoing projects include the RM410 million construction and completion of the Shah Alam Hospital and the RM312.8 million Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid) Project - Package 1 in Pengerang, Johor.

“We understand that next year there will be a few big highways coming up as well. We will be actively bidding for that,” he added.

- Bernama