https://www.arabianbusiness.com/ :Abu Dhabi Projects and Infrastructure Centre has partnered with Elon Musk’s The Boring Company to assess underground transport and utility infrastructure across the emirate.

The agreement was signed on October 8 at LIVEX 2026 in Abu Dhabi. Technical work will cover tunnelling systems, project feasibility, delivery methods and operating requirements. ADPIC has not disclosed a route, construction timetable, passenger capacity or capital value for any potential scheme.

Maysarah Mahmoud Salim Eid, Director General of ADPIC, and Steve Davis, President of The Boring Company, signed the agreement. Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, attended the signing.

Abu Dhabi assesses transport and utility tunnels
ADPIC and The Boring Company will examine underground transportation systems, utility tunnels and associated infrastructure. Technical discussions will cover tunnel planning, boring technology, construction methods, safety standards, operations and maintenance.

Digital engineering, automation and infrastructure lifecycle management also sit within the study scope. Both organisations will assess feasibility, delivery structures and operational requirements before any project commitment.

Abu Dhabi authorities will use the work to test how underground infrastructure can increase urban capacity and strengthen connectivity. The agreement also includes local capability development.

Al Shorafa linked the collaboration to more efficient use of urban space and higher infrastructure capacity. Eid said the study will assess how underground transport and utility corridors can support Abu Dhabi’s future infrastructure requirements.

ADPIC brings $56 billion infrastructure portfolio
ADPIC oversees an infrastructure portfolio exceeding $56 billion (AED205.66 billion) and supported delivery of 100 capital projects during 2025. ADPIC manages government capital projects across Abu Dhabi and coordinates delivery against safety, quality and sustainability requirements.

Infrastructure investment spans transport, housing, education, culture and social assets. ADPIC’s September 2026 international roadshow also placed Abu Dhabi’s infrastructure opportunity above $56 billion (AED 205.66 billion).

ADPIC’s agreement with The Boring Company adds advanced tunnelling to that project pipeline assessment. ADPIC has not announced procurement terms, construction contracts or financing structures linked to the study.

Steve Davis, President of The Boring Company, said the collaboration will examine transport and utility applications. Company teams will also share expertise covering tunnel planning, construction techniques, automation, operations and maintenance.

The Boring Company already has UAE transport work
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority signed an implementation agreement with The Boring Company on February 3 for Dubai Loop. That project provides a separate UAE reference point for the company’s underground passenger transport technology.

Dubai Loop’s first phase covers 6.4 kilometres and four stations between Dubai International Financial Centre and Dubai Mall. RTA estimates pilot delivery at about $153.8 million (AED 565 million). Construction is expected to take around one year after design work and preparations finish.

Full alignment plans extend to 22.2 kilometres and 19 stations. RTA estimates total project cost at about $544.6 million (AED 2 billion), with an expected three-year implementation period.

The Boring Company describes Loop as an all-electric underground passenger system providing direct point-to-point journeys without intermediate stops.

Abu Dhabi study keeps project scope open
Abu Dhabi’s agreement remains exploratory. No passenger vehicle platform, tunnel length, station count, utility corridor specification or delivery schedule appears in the October 8 announcement.

That scope leaves ADPIC able to assess passenger transport and underground utility capacity through the same technical programme. Engineers will evaluate tunnelling methods alongside safety, digital systems, maintenance requirements and long-term asset management.

Abu Dhabi will also examine international delivery practices and local capability requirements. ADPIC said the work will assess the emirate’s potential role as a regional centre for advanced tunnelling and underground infrastructure solutions.

Moving from study to construction would require defined routes, technical specifications, approvals, commercial terms, and procurement decisions. None of those stages has been announced.