Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) have secured a Design-and-Build contract for Phase 1 of the Automated People Mover (APM) system at Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai. The contract falls within L&T’s “Large” order category, valued between INR 2,500 crore and INR 5,000 crore, equivalent to approximately $280 million to $560 million. The consortium will deliver the APM under a turnkey arrangement covering design, construction, supply, testing, commissioning and operational readiness as part of Dubai’s wider airport expansion programme.
The Al Maktoum Airport APM will provide automated passenger connections between the airport’s terminals and concourses, forming a dedicated internal transportation system beneath the airport apron and terminal areas. L&T’s scope includes guideways, DC traction substations, power distribution infrastructure, signaling and telecommunications systems, onboard vehicle communication systems and platform screen doors. The contract also covers depot equipment required for APM operations. Phase 1 will feature four underground APM stations serving the West Terminal and Concourse 1, with Concourse 1 planned to include 100 contact gates. The airport’s wider master plan provides for a 14-station APM network once the development reaches its completed configuration.
The APM development is being delivered within Dubai’s broader $35 billion expansion programme for Al Maktoum International Airport. The completed airport is planned to accommodate more than 260 million passengers annually and handle up to 12 million tones of cargo, supported by five parallel runways, four satellite concourses and extensive ground transportation infrastructure. Phase 1 is planned to establish the West Terminal and Concourse 1, providing capacity for approximately 130 million passengers annually. Subsequent phases will expand the terminal complex, passenger capacity and APM network, with Concourses 3 and 4 and an East Terminal forming part of the ultimate development.
The Al Maktoum Airport expansion is progressing toward its planned 2032 operational start, with the APM system requiring integration with the airport’s power, communications, terminal and other infrastructure. In June 2026, Dubai authorities said the project had entered a large-scale construction phase, with contracts valued at AED13 billion under execution and preparations underway for strategic packages worth more than AED55 billion. Current works include runway infrastructure, passenger terminal foundations, extensive excavation and core infrastructure. The wider development is ultimately planned to integrate air, rail and road connections, while the APM will provide automated passenger movement within the airport complex.