A NEW bridge linking Arad and Hidd will be built in the next five years, it has emerged.
There are also plans for a second bridge linking the Muharraq jetty with Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Bridge in Hidd.
The projects were yesterday debated by the Muharraq Municipal Council’s general secretariat, after details were presented by Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam Khalaf.
It was revealed the first bridge alone will cost millions of dinars, with BD7m required for land reclamation and BD5m for associated works.
Council financial, administrative and legislative committee chairman Ghazi Al Murbati suggested naming the bridge after His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy
Premier.
Premier.
Funding has already been secured for the first bridge from the GCC.
However, the second bridge would mark the second phase of the project and negotiations for additional GCC funding are required.
Arad MP and former council vice-chairman Ali Al Muqla told the GDN the Arad-Hidd bridge had already been given the go-ahead by one of Bahrain’s neighbours, which has pledged funding.
“The Hidd-Arad Bridge will undergo a 12-month study before being tendered for construction and we expect the whole process to take between three and five years, with the project being ready by 2023,” said Mr Al Muqla.
“Its first two phases will cost around BD12m, which involves BD7m for reclamation and BD5m for initial construction – besides doing work to build and expand inner roads.
“The new bridge and accompanying work will ease congestion and bottlenecks caused by massive developments and urbanisation, making traffic swifter and smoother.
“I have been fighting for this bridge for the past decade and finally it is going to see the light following the Cabinet’s go-ahead.
“The suggestion to name it after Prince Salman is an excellent choice because he
deserves it.”
deserves it.”
Mr Al Murbati said the second bridge had been approved as a concept by Mr Khalaf, but is still in the early stages.
“I hope the government pushes ahead with this second bridge so it can be supported by the GCC,” he added.
“I understand it would be very fast to secure it now, but with more effort work could coincide on both bridges.
“The target of five years for the first bridge could be the same with the second.”
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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