Bahrain is to spend up to BD8 million ($21 million) for developing coastal areas in four key villages within the next two years, a top official has said.

The budget will be assigned to improve facilities for residents in Ma'ameer, Budaiya, Karzakan and Demistan, said Municipal and Urban Planning Affairs Minister Dr Juma Al Ka'abi.

'The ministry has various plans to develop villages and towns in the five governorates,' he said.

'As part of this, coasts will have a good share in the 2011-2012 budget.'

Dr Al Ka'abi was speaking on the sidelines of a ceremony to lay the foundation of the Demistan Coast project yesterday.

He said each coast had a budget of up to BD2 million, depending on the services it will host.

'These projects are subject to approvals from all involved authorities and land ownership as well as tender approvals,' he added.

The Demistan coastal project will cover an area of 1km and cost more than BD1 million, to be financed and undertaken by the ministry.
 
Meanwhile, a call has gone out for the government to buy land on Bahrain's coasts so it can be turned into public beaches.

Many of the country's villages lack access to the shore, despite the fact that they used to face the sea, said Northern Municipal Council chairman Ali Al Jabal.

'A huge number of villages in the Northern Governorate used to have its own coast back in the day,' he told guests during a ceremony to lay the foundation stone of the Demistan coast project yesterday.

'However, this is not the case today and therefore I call on the government to work on owning land in various villages and turning them into public beaches for residents.'

Al Jabal said coasts should be developed in villages like Sadad, Hamala, Duraz, Barbar, Janusan, Jid Al Haj and Karranah.

'These villages used to face the sea around 20 years ago and now all it is surrounded by is land and there is no public beach.'-TradeArabia News Service