The economic roadmap released on 25 April has referred to the Mecca Metro scheme as a key part of the government’s commitment to improving transport and other facilities at holy sites, in light of the plans to increase the number of Umrah pilgrims from 8 million to 30 million a year. Four contracts for the delivery of Mecca Metro are awaiting final sign-off from Saudi Arabia’s Royal Court. These include two civil works packages for lines B and C, as well as the systems and rolling stock deals. As part of consortium, Drake & Scull International (DSI) is understood to be the low bidder for one of the packages, for which its share is at AED5 billion. We highlighted securing the Mecca railway project as a major positive trigger to the stock, albeit, partially factored-in within the market valuation, in our view. (MEED, Mai Attia, Sara Boutros)