RIYADH: Sixty-eight percent of the Riyadh train project has been completed, Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar announced Wednesday. “The project is proceeding at a steady pace and according to its scheduled program and plans,” the prince said, adding that by the end of this year there will be experimental operations on the rail tracks. Ibrahim bin Mohammed Al-Sultan, member of the Supreme Commission for the Development of Riyadh City and head of the Center for Projects and Planning, said the project is being carried out in 250 locations in all parts of the capital and there are seven maintenance centers monitoring them. “Work in deep tunnels is almost over and work on bridges is 98 percent completed,” he said, pointing out that there are 85 railway stations and 86 percent of the railway lines have been successfully laid out. Experimental tests have been carried out on 452 train coaches, of which 300 have been manufactured by three of the world’s largest train manufacturers. Preparations are underway for the operation and maintenance of the stations and facilities of the bus network and building of the Control and Operation Center for Public Transport in Riyadh.