Abu Dhabi-based Aldar Properties has announced significant progress of key infrastructure relating to the firm's Al Raha Beach development ahead of the completion of the project's first residential and commercial elements.

A major developement in this project is that the interchanges 4, 4A and 5 on the main Abu Dhabi-Dubai Highway (E10) will soon open to traffic in-bound to Al Raha Beach and Al Raha Gardens, said a senior company official.

The interchanges, which were completed structurally ahead of the grand prix last November, are now being readied for final delivery.

Pending final testing and clearances by the relevant authorities, the Interchanges will be opened up to traffic in phases to allow access to areas of Al Raha Beach, a major waterfront development, as they are completed.

Starting from April 20, interchange 4 will accept traffic in-bound to HQ building from both Abu Dhabi and Dubai directions through a security gate and in late August 2010 there will be inbound and outbound traffic to HQ via Interchange 4.

'Tomorrow will also see the partial opening of interchange 5 to allow Al Raha Gardens traffic to access E10. In June, it will open fully to allow access to inbound and outbound traffic to the new Al Bandar Development from both Abu Dhabi and Dubai directions,' said Talal Al Dhiyebi, director of Planning and Infrastructure.

Aldar said it has finalised the redesign of interchange 6 in close co-ordination with Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, Department of Transport and Abu Dhabi Municipality to ensure it will be better able to handle the increase in traffic from the surrounding developments and improve the flow of traffic to and from the airport.

The company said the work on the ground is likely to commence in early June.

The utilities installation is progressing well in the eastern precinct of Al Raha Beach, which covers the area from the Yas Island tunnel to the iconic HQ building adjacent to the Al Raha Beach Hotel, it added.

Micro-tunneling and directional drilling techniques have been employed to connect all Al Raha Beach utilities to the main utility corridors on the south side of and parallel to the E10 highway.

The co-ordination of the design and construction works is a demanding task for which Aldar has selected experienced teams of project managers, consultants and contractors.

According to Aldar, the utilities have been planned to allow the current developments of HQ, Al Bandar, Al Zeina and Al Muneera to be connected to the Abu Dhabi main networks before their committed occupation dates.

Gas supply to the development is at an advanced stage and Al Bandar will be the first residential development in Abu Dhabi to be supplied from the natural gas network starting from May 2010.

Included within the utilities provided at Al Raha Beach are automated vacuum waste collection systems and a district cooling chilled water network supplying all developments from a number of plants distributed along the length of the project.

Al Dhiyebi said: 'We are delighted to announce this significant construction progress at Al Raha Beach that will benefit both future residents and those already living and working in the surrounding area.'

'Aldar is committed to providing world-class infrastructure for all of its developments from the outset, playing a central role in the development of the Emirate in line with 'Plan Abu Dhabi 2030',' he added.-TradeArabia News Service