4.14 km-long, 8 sq m horseshoe section advanced from both ends at 122 m/month/face beneath Ante Lebanon mountains from Aen Zarka to Al Balaa by contractors Banske Stavby of Prievidza, Slovakia and Takla-Weavers of Guernsey, UK. Holed 16th November, 1998. Generally in competent limestone of 9 – 62 Mpa using resin encapsulated rockbolts, steel arches, mesh and lagging. Some dry karst caverns encountered. Maximum overburden 200 m. One 10 m section was supported by micropiles and compensation grouted. Final lining of 20-30 cm-thick monolithic concrete under installation using 10 m telescopic slip formwork. Two vent shafts of 800 mm diameter by 58 m-deep and 108 m-deep installed for emergency escape. December 1999.

Feasibility study under way by Tehran Urban & Suburban Railway Company. March 1998.Restricted call for tenders, deadline 5th May, 2006 for technical assistance intended to make a recommendation on the preferred option for the implementation of the Green Line of the Damascus metro project in physical, technical, organizational and financial terms. This is the first metro line for Damascus, running on the busiest southwest to northeast axis of the city from Mezzeh to Qaboun, a distance of some 15 kilometres with some expected 22 stations. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062916-2006, OJ S 61, or contact European Investment Bank, Mr Stefan Kerpen, OPS B/FEMIP/Special Operations Division, Technical Assistance Unit (TAU), 100 boulevard Konrad Adenauer, L-2950 Luxembourg. 15/06.The six shortlisted candidates for the technical assistance intended to make a physical, technical, organizational and financial recommendation on the preferred option for the implementation of the Green Line of the Damascus metro are BCEOM / Semaly; C. Lotti & Associati / Geodata / Stipe; Italferr / Metropolitana Milanese; Sener / Mott MacDonald; Systra / Khatib & Alami Offshore; and WSP Group / DE-Consult / OPTIM Obermeyer Proje. The Green Line is the first metro line for Damascus, running on the busiest southwest to northeast axis of the city from Mezzeh to Qaboun, a distance of some 15 kilometres with some expected 22 stations. 42/06.The Governorate of Damascus and the Municipalities Ministry have awarded an engineering contract the first metro line to France's Systra and Khatib & Alami of Lebanon. The 14.8 km line will connect Mezzeh to Qaboun. The 18-month study will be financed by the European Investment Bank (EIB). The consultants will also look into the possibility to integrate three other lines to form a 52 km network in Damascus. Click sy/11. Visit www.systra.com and www.khatibalami.com 25/07.