A fish market in Malkiya are of Bahrain that has remained unused for five years despite a BD73,000 ($192,531) renovation could be given another revamp.

It was snubbed due to a lack of facilities such as air conditioning, say councillors.

But plans are in the pipeline to improve the market with the help of investors after the Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Ministry backed a Northern Municipal Council proposal.

The Gulf Daily News, our sister publication, had reported last month that councillors had called for local investors to help revive the market.

In a letter addressed to the council, Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Minister Dr Juma Al Ka'abi instructed the council to co-ordinate with the Tender Board on the project.

Council chairman Ali Al Jabal stressed that fast tracking of procedures was needed to ensure investors were found as soon as possible.

"We want this project to benefit fishermen and people in the area, which was the whole point of establishing it," he said.

"The help of an investor can allow the market to be revived and perhaps allow better services to be provided to vendors."

Al Jabal said the council will now seek to work with the Tender Board and the Northern Municipality as it oversees implementation and execution of tenders to ensure the best proposed development is chosen.

The market was established in Malkiya in 2008 to support fishermen in the area, but fishermen moved out due to reported absence of facilities such as air conditioning.-TradeArabia News Service