Larsen & Toubro (L&T), India's leading engineering and construction conglomerate, said it has been awarded a large contract - in the range of Rs2,500 to Rs5,000 ($350 million to $701 million) - by Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE's integrated railway network, for the design and build of freight handling facilities at seven strategic locations across the emirates.

This design and build contract for freight facilities package has been bagged by L&T's metallurgical and material handling strategic business group, against stiff international competition, stated the Indian group in its statement.

This is a major breakthrough project for L&T in the Stage-2 expansion phase of Etihad Rail and will be executed in a joint venture with Power China, it stated.

The scope of work involves design, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of bulk material handling systems (Rail loading and unloading systems) with associated civil and structural works, bulk material storage facilities, general cargo and container handling facilities with freight terminal management and control systems, said the L&T statement.

All the freight stations will include railway siding and track works apart from other infrastructure works such as bridges, buildings, roads & drains, water and electricity utility systems, it added.-TradeArabia News Service