RIYADH – Saudi Arabia needs revolutionary rail infrastructure to propel the Kingdom to a brighter tomorrow, Faisal Alfadl, Secretary General of the Saudi Green Buildings Forum, said Sunday during the first day of the “Saudi Mega Infrastructure Projects 2012” here in Riyadh. “I believe a revolution is needed in the rail sector so as to drive the people and economy of the country toward a better future,” he said. “This event wouldn't have been possible without the permission of Saudi government and support of thee Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz whose vision to allow independent economic b2b conferences such as this one is the reason behind making this summit a reality,” Alfadl added. “The first day of the summit was the Saudi Rail Focus Day (which) rendered an interesting insight into the rail sector of Saudi Arabia and the opportunities attached to it for both local and international contractors, consultants and specialist rail service providers. I believe the railway technologies need to be more integrated with other means of transportation like roads/highways, buses, metros, etc., to enable a better density of people mobility to the central business district and neighborhood communities,” he further said. Edmund O' Sullivan, Chairman, MEED Event, said “participation of this magnitude by the delegates coming from various parts of the neighboring countries for this summit signifies its importance and success. We are delighted that the delegates have come forward to imbibe the phenomenal knowledge about the huge market size offered by the expert speakers and it is really overwhelming for all of the sponsors as well. It is good that they are interested in learning more and more about Kingdom's rail sector and infrastructure market, key functions of energy-efficient infrastructure and related green technologies. The second day of the vent will focus on more green issues.” Konstantinos Giannakos, Project Director, SALFO & Associates SA for Saudi Arabian Railway Company, and former president of Hellenic Railways Organization, said “this Summit is not just a summit, its a great way of connecting with industry people coming from various regions. Such kind of high level of event is very helpful for industry as they play a great role in exchanging ideas and sharing new knowledge about advanced technologies.” Ramadan A. Harb, Transportation Department, Deputy Department Manager, who was also present at the Summit, said “I am happy to attend this summit and I am enjoying this highly enriching experience to rub shoulders with top industry players. I liked the presentations made by different speakers as they focused on the details of various sectors including operations, maintenance, rail tracks and safety. Most of all, I enjoyed the enlightening presentation of Dr. Konstantinos Giannakos.” Roger Nickells, Managing Director-Middle East, Buro Happold, said “it is enticing to be a part of this mega summit. It is like a learning experience and it is a great chance to connect with other industry professionals. I am eager to get involved in industry events such as this one and my support goes out to my industry as a whole. I look forward to next two days of the Summit.” – SG
