Bahrain MOW spares no expense on infrastructure

Fahmi Bin Ali Al Jowder, Bahrain's Minister of Works

RELATED STORIES: Top 10 GCC road projects | 1800 jobs to be created at Bahrain steel plant | US$26.5m Bahrain Map flyover finished 

Bahrain’s Ministry of Works (MOW) has reported encouraging progress on it local infrastructural works during 2009 against a background of worldwide economic pressure and additional demands placed on the region.

The MOW’s BHD128.3m ( AED1.2b) was split between 651 contracts which were finalised during the year and totaled BHD47.3m, and managed projects for other ministries within the government worth BD61.3m and was part of the MOW remit to provide world class infrastructure within the Kingdom along Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 guidelines.

Fahmi Bin Ali Al Jowder, Minister of Works, said, “As a pioneering supporter of the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030, the Ministry of Works plays a prominent and leading role in achieving its goals as the main contributor to the Kingdom’s infrastructure.”

“The ministry spares no effort in cooperating with its partners in public and private sectors with the aim of providing the people of Bahrain with high-quality services, better living standards and improved quality of life,” he added.

Story continues below

Advertisement

FEATURED COMMENT Yes, it is a great job by Mr Fahmi Bin Ali Jowder - Minister of Works(MOW) but still we lag behind in roads and infrastr   1 Comments Read more comments »

Despite difficult economic conditions, the roading budget was almost doubled, from BHD 55m to BHD95.7m, with funding used to complete the Bahrain Map Flyover, Bahrain City Centre Mall Flyover, Zallaq Bridge into Bahrain University Entrance and the Hamad Town Underpass on the Khalifa Bin Salman Highway.

The MOW also prepared 41 tenders totaling BHD106m in 2009 while also initiating a further 43 contracts worth BHD95 in its sanitation department. Eight contracts worth a total of BHD9.5m were completed while another 18 contracts worth BHD61m are on-going; as is further development of the National Master Plan and the Sanitary Services Privatisation Project.

The completion of the BHD136.3m Khalifa Bin Salman Port in April and the BHD9.2m Shaikh Khalifa Sports City in Isa Town were also highlights of the year.

However, the MOW isn’t resting on its laurels. This year the ministry will focus on rehabilitating the city’s old sewage networks and create storm water drainage networks in critical areas while also pressing to privatise the Kingdoms sewage plants. The ministry is keen to move away from providing services to becoming a regulator and facilitator.