The Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has moved the deadline for the submission of the bids for the design-and-build contract related to the new metro link connecting to the Dubai Expo2020 site by a more week to 17 January, from the latest 10 January deadline. The original deadline was 6 December. At least eight groups have been invited to bid by the RTA. Those are: i) Mapa Gunal (Turkey) / China Railway Group (China) / CSR Corporation (China); ii) Acciona (Spain) / Gulermak (Turkey) / Alstom (France); iii) Obayashi (Japan) / Wade Adams (local) / Brookfield Multiplex (Canada) / Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan); iv) Orascom (Egypt) / Yapi Merkezi (Turkey) / GS Engineering & Construction (South Korea) / Siemens (Germany); v) Salini Impregilo (Italy) / Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (Spain); vi) Nurol (Turkey) / Astaldi (Italy) / Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (Spain); vii) Habtoor Leighton Group (local/Australia) / Deutsche Bahn (Germany) / Hochtief(Germany) / Hyundai Rotem (South Korea); and viii) Ssangyong Corporation (South Korea) / Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (Spain). The scheme, known as Route 2020, involves building a 15-kilometre-long line, branching off the existing Red Line at the Nakheel Harbour and Tower station. About 11 km of the line will be elevated, with five elevated stations and two underground stations. (MEED)