The consortium Spie Sud Est/Yvroud Europeenne des Fluides, Feyzin secured the EUR7.6 million contract for equipment maintenance in the Grand Lyon tunnels, the most important of which are Fourviere (1,850 m), Croix-Rousse (1,750 m), Brotteaux-Servient and Vivier-Merle (336 m). For more, contact Communaute Urbaine de Lyon, fax +33 478 957097, or visit http://marches.grandlyon.com. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=058386-2010. 11/10...

Gähler und Partner AG of Ennetbaden have secured the EUR2.28 million contract for PM designer for safety refurbishment in 1.14 km-long Mosi tunnel on A4, near Brunnen. Contact OFROU, Zofingen, tel +41 6274575-11, fax -90, e-mail beschaffung.zofingen@astra.admin.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062920-2010. 11/10...

IG BP2, c/o Bänziger Partner AG of Zurich, secured the EUR2.63 million contract from BAMO for 5.7 km-long N3 Kerenzer tunnel. Contact OFROU, Winterthour, tel +41 522344-711, fax -790, e-mail winterthur@astra.admin.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062921-2010. 11/10..

Construction contract for Kuechelberg tunnel awarded to PAC SpA consortium, value EUR34,695,272 excluding VAT. More from PAC in Capo di Ponte, tel +39 0364331037, fax +39 036442303, e-mail info@pacspa.it and client APB in Bozen, tel +39 04714125-14, fax –39, e-mail gare-11.5@provincia.bz.it Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=071475-2010. 11/10...

Rete Ferroviaria Italiana SpA is inviting companies to prequalify for civil engineering work on railway tunnels in Italy. Further information and documents from Iacomino Raffaele at Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato in Milan, tel +39 02637 148-19, fax –20, e-mail dns-qs@rfi.it to whom requests to participate should be sent. Visit

Pre-feasibility study being undertaken by ILF Consulting Engineers for construction of single track railway line along the Karakorum highway between the end of the existing railway network in the south at Havelian and the border between Pakistan and China near the famous Khunjrab Pass in the north.

Prequalification underway by MTR for tender reference no 703 for West Island Line SHW to SYP tunnels value EUR30 million with a view to selective invitations to tender being issued in 4Q/2008 for contract award in 3Q/2009. Expressions of interest to Malcolm O’Neill, tel 3921 3383, e-mail moneill@mtr.com.hk Visit www.mtr.com.hk/eng/tenders/new_projects.html 45/08.

Brazilian consortium Águas do São Francisco, formed by the companies Carioca Christiani Nielsen Engenharia, Serveng Civilsan and SA Paulista, won the bidding for the first lot of works on the São Francisco river diversion project. The winning proposal was for BRL239 million. The contract was signed on 31st December and the consortium is due to start the works on the northern axis in January. Lot 1 stretches for 39,128 metres and includes the 726 m Angico tunnel and the 1,512 m Milagres tunnel. Visit www.cariocaengenharia.com.br and www.sapaulista.com.br
Brazil's army corps of engineers has restarted works on the project this month. Since June, the army has been working on building a dam and two canals to transport river waters to pumping stations near Cabrobó municipality in Pernambuco state. However, the regional federal court had halted works on 10th December, as requested by the public prosecutor's office, which cited supposed irregularities in the national water council's original approval of the process. The federal supreme court ruled that going ahead with the project now would not cause irreversible environmental damage. The decision, however, only allows work to go ahead until the supreme court can judge the merits of the case at a date yet to be set.
The project involves moving the São Francisco river, South America's fourth biggest, in the northern arid states of Pernambuco, Ceará, Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte where water is to be used above all for sugar-cane and fruit plantations, prawn farms and the steel industry in the area of Fortaleza. It involves the construction of two canals, running north and east, with together a length of 722 km, nine large pumping plants and 51.6 km of tunnels. Click here. Read E-News Weekly 4/2008 for more. Visit www.mi.gov.br/saofrancisco 04/08.