Oman’s Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE) is currently implementing several projects that aim at providing the infrastructure at the new expansion schemes and attracting more investments, said a top official.

The projects include the development of the seventh stage for the Sohar Industrial Zone, Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Mayasi, director of operations at the zone was quoted as saying in a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA).

The projects also include completing the services for the third to sixth stages and the added value projects, such as the facilities building and labour residential city project.

"The value of investments at the zone since opening in November 1992 till date stands at about RO1.85 billion ($4.8 billion). The zone hosts 269 projects and 12,408 workers of which 36 per cent are Omanis," he added.

He also pointed out that the demand of investment in the zone is likely to increase with the completion of the under way projects and completing the different services at the stages Three to Seven.

"The contractor for the labour residential city will start the first stage of the project within the coming two months and is expected to complete this stage by 2017," Al Mayasi said.

He added that the zone's masterplan is expected to create an impressive leap in the services rendered to investors in the zone.  Ninety-five per cent of the supportive services and projects for the current and future stages have been already completed with the remaining five per cent to be completed by February 2016.

He pointed out that the tenders for projects for completing the services for the stages Three to Six are expected to be floated during the second quarter of 2016.

"These projects include the construction of a plant for sanitary drainage, irrigation and agriculture. The six-storey facility building is currently at the design stage and is expected to be completed by the end of 2017," he added.