Bahrain has launched a tender to build 1,246 residential units within the first phase of the Al Ramli Housing Project being funded by the Gulf Development Programme, said a report.

This is the first official step for the implementation of a strategic project for the kingdom, reported the BNA citing the country's minister of housing.

One of the key projects included in the Government Action Plan (GAP), Al Ramli plan will see the construction of a total of 25,000 units by the end of 2018, stated Bassim bin Yaqoob Al Hamar.

The minister pointed out that 12 contractors from Bahrain and Saudi Arabia met the requirements and participated in the tender.

As soon as the tender is awarded, the project site will be prepared and provided with the necessary equipment to pave the way for the construction work to begin, said Al Hamar, stressing the ministry’s keenness on expediting the implementation process.

The tender related to the infrastructure of the project will be launched by the end of this year, and the tenders of the second phase will follow later, he added.

Once the work begins at Al Ramli project site, the housing ministry will see the implementation of four projects simultaneously, the others being the Northern City, East Hidd City and the Southern Governorate Housing Projects, remarked Al Hamar.

"This is the first time that such a thing is happening in the country which proves the government’s determination to speed up building housing units for the citizens whose names feature in the waiting lists," he added.