Global construction and management consultancy Turner & Townsend has been appointed by the Bombela Concession Company (BCC) as the project manager of a 12-month turnkey project to expand the Gautrain station platforms at OR Tambo International Airport, east of Johannesburg.
The expansion, which will enable passengers to embark or disembark from a full four-car train set – currently limited to two cars – is likely to take some 12 months, with completion targeted for mid-2016.
According to the BCC, the 55 m platform extension will increase system capacity, forming part of a medium- to long-term plan to attract more users onto the Gautrain system.
Turner & Townsend associate director Noluthando Molao adds that construction will be carried out using precast elements and with the establishment of a nearby storage area for materials to minimise activity on site.
“One of the key challenges of the project is that the trains must be fully operational at all times to ensure there is no disruption to the Gautrain service.
“Coupled with this, the construction is being carried out at approximately 18 m above ground level, with the access road directly beneath the construction site needing to remain operational as an airport entry point . . . [and] construction will only be undertaken during specific times, as agreed,” she comments.