PROJECTS worth nearly BD2.1 million will be carried out in Arad until 2022, it has been announced.
The plan to develop the infrastructure of inner areas was revealed by the Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Ministry.
According to area councillor Ahmed Al Mugahwi, BD1.1m will be spent on paving work, roads, infrastructure construction as well as extending water drainage networks in Block 245.
“The project also includes developing the level of lighting and laying ground channels for use by services in addition to the construction of road signs and traffic signals to regulate traffic and speed bumps to control speeding,” he added.
“BD600,000 was also allocated through a public tender to develop interior roads in Hidd and hopefully this will reduce traffic congestion in the area, especially at the traffic light of this key junction used by tens of thousands of vehicles daily.”
This is part of large-scale road projects previously reported by the GDN worth millions of dinars being planned in and around Muharraq.
BD400,000 has also been allocated to develop a traffic signal on the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Avenue to serve Seef Mall Muharraq visitors as well as expanding the road to incorporate two lanes in each direction.
“This includes constructing road humps to reduce speeding, improving the lighting as well as adding traffic signs and ground channels,” said Mr Al Mugahwi.
“There are additional projects in areas surrounding Arad which serve it indirectly including the developments to Rayya Avenue, the Hidd area and the area adjacent to Airport Avenue.
“This plan is consistent with the nature of Arad as a city consisting of three villages – Arad, Halat Al Naeem and Halat Al Salata – in addition to two new areas which are Arad Al Jadida (New Arad) and Zemat Arad.
“It also has a service nature in addition to the biggest commercial mall in Muharraq and the biggest sports club and a historical fort.”
The councillor pointed out that Arad had a total population of 28,000, making it the most densely populated area in the Muharraq Governorate and is close to Bahrain International Airport and the capital, Manama.
Meanwhile, the GDN previously reported that projects in Muharraq include the BD94.5 million North Manama Causeway, which includes a bridge linking Bahrain Bay with Busaiteen which will extend to Diyar Al Muharraq.
Designs for this are 87 per cent complete.
New routes to the East Hidd Housing Town are also in the planning phase and are expected to cost BD37.1m while plans are being drawn up for the southern section of the Hidd Industrial Area (second phase), expected to cost BD12m to develop.
Other pressing developments, such as BD200,000 improvements on Shaikh Isa Avenue and BD300,000 work on Shaikh Khalifa Al Kabeer Avenue are awaiting funding. As are a BD870,000 project to develop Block 111 in Hidd, a BD1.5m upgrade of Al Ghous Avenue, a BD4m road development leading to the new Galali housing area and a BD1m upgrade of Shaikh Isa Bin Rashid Al Khalifa Avenue.
reem@gdn.com.bh
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