A stone statue that has stood watch for decades on the approach of Bahrain International Airport has become the centre of a fiery falcon stand-off between development plans and local sentiment in Muharraq.
The Works Ministry formally requested permission to remove the Falcon Monument, located within the scope of the Airport Road Development Project, as part of extensive infrastructure works now underway in the area.
In its submission, the ministry invited the Muharraq Municipal Council to review the engineering plans and provide its views on dismantling the monument to allow construction works tied to the redevelopment of the surrounding road network to proceed.
Councillors, however, voted yesterday to unanimously reject the request, insisting the monument remain untouched – even if it ends up partially obscured by new flyovers and road structures.
Council chairman Abdulaziz Al Naar said members were firm that the falcon should not be removed under any circumstances. “We were informed the monument might no longer be clearly visible after the project is completed, but visibility is not a reason to erase a landmark tied to Muharraq’s identity,” he said.
“The council’s unanimous decision is that the Falcon stays where it is.”
Vice-chairman Saleh Buhazaa was equally direct during deliberations. “The road does not affect the Falcon, and the Falcon does not affect the road,” he said. “Leave it in its place. Even if it becomes hidden behind structures, it must remain.”
Services and public utilities committee chairman and area councillor Abdulqader Al Sayed said residents had voiced strong attachment to the monument. “People have grown up seeing this structure on the airport road,” he said. “We understand the importance of development, but not at the expense of removing historical symbols.”
According to the ministry’s technical brief, the project aims to improve and upgrade the road network to ensure smoother traffic flow and easier access to the airport terminal and associated facilities, while enhancing infrastructure efficiency across the whole governorate.
The works specifically target congestion on Arad Highway and Khalifa Al Kabeer Avenue, in line with population growth, urban expansion, citizens’ expectations and the goals of sustainable development under Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.
Phase Three (A) of the project, located at the Falcon junction, includes a full redesign of the intersection and parts of Arad Highway and Khalifa Al Kabeer Avenue within the project’s scope. It also involves constructing a new free-flow left-turn flyover along Khalifa Al Kabeer Avenue at its intersection with Arad Highway, in addition to upgrading the existing water culvert on Arad Highway.
Once completed, the junction’s capacity is expected to surge from 5,250 vehicles per hour to around 16,000 vehicles per hour.
The works also include landscaping and beautification, tree planting and the installation of a modern stormwater drainage network in line with approved engineering and environmental standards.
Ministry engineers said field inspections revealed the ageing stone falcon has deteriorated over time and that attempting to move it intact carries a high risk of breakage. They also warned that keeping it in place during foundation works for the flyover could create safety challenges during construction.
Four alternatives were presented to councillors: demolish and replace it with a fibreglass replica, demolish it without replacement, relocate the original at significant cost, or abandon the current site and install a replica elsewhere.
All were rejected.
The Falcon debate follows the earlier demolition of the long-standing Waterfall Monument on the opposite side of the road as part of the same project, a move that drew mixed public reaction.
The broader upgrade package includes reclamation works around Arad Bay, pedestrian ramps, safety and noise barriers, street lighting, road markings and landscaping. Once complete, traffic from the airport direction to Arad is expected to flow without traffic signals.
Despite the scale of the transformation, councillors insisted that the Falcon’s symbolic presence – even if partially hidden – remains important.
The ministry’s request was framed as a necessary procedural step to allow construction to proceed smoothly. But for councillors, the issue went beyond engineering practicality to questions of heritage and identity.
For now, the stone falcon remains grounded – standing firm amid the cranes, concrete and sweeping changes reshaping Bahrain’s airport gateway.
Works Minister Ibrahim Al Hawaj has the right to contest the council’s decision and if the deadlock is not resolved the Cabinet will step in to resolve the matter.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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