That included building the tunnels, viaducts and stations and contracting for the operation. In 1897 the city council chose the General Traction Company, owned by the Belgian Baron Édouard Louis Joseph Empain.
The project involved building infrastructure such as tunnels, bridges, and train stations, and also included securing a contractor to manage the operation. Two years later, in 1897, the city council decided to partner with the General Traction Company, led by Belgian Baron Édouard Louis Joseph Empain.