Bahrain will spend more than BD20 million ($52.75 million) on new infrastructure projects in the kingdom, said a senior government official.

"The government has agreed today to spend BD14.5 million on 21 tenders, while BD5.7 million will be spent on 16 new projects that include road and sewage network developments, constructing new buildings and revamping existing ones," Works Minister Essam Khalaf was quoted as saying by the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

"We will have major road works in Isa Town, Riffa, Askar and Bab Al Bahrain as we expand existing networks, besides having more sewage networks in new areas in A'ali, Busaiteen and Qaraya,” Khalaf said a Cabinet session yesterday (May 19).

"Work on expanding the Tubli Sewage Plant will be carried out from financial aid given by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to double capacity from 200,000 cu m to 400,000 cu m.

"A new school will be built in Wadi Al Sail, new offices will be constructed at the Justice Ministry, an expansion will be carried on Prince Khalifa Port, new buildings will be built for the Bahraini University Students Club in Cairo and maintenance will be carried out to several government buildings."

He said that Al Farooq Junction - the former GCC (Pearl) Roundabout was ready for operation, but awaited approval from security bodies.

Meanwhile, Khalaf said the ministry had surpassed its target to connect half of Bahrain to sewage networks by the end of next year, with 95 per cent already complete.

"What is mostly left are new areas and we are way, way ahead of where we had planned to be,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service