Around 55 per cent of the work on the Mleiha Road Development in Sharjah, UAE, has already been completed and the 42-km-long project is on track for opening next year, said a report.

The project, which will extend from the Al Badi intersection to Sheikh Khalifa Road in Fujairah, is estimated to cost around Dh174 million ($47.3 million), reported state news agency Wam.

The project is expected to be fully completed during the first quarter of next year, said the report, citing a senior official from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development.

Hassan Jumaa Al Mansouri, the under-secretary at the ministry,pointed out that the nature of this project was different from other projects, as it linked two areas that witness heavy traffic throughout the week.

This requires a creative solution, to complete this project without affecting traffic while implementing it over a period of two years, he added.

Al Mansouri stressed that the work was going according to the approved plans and the project will be completed within the planned time frame, due to the joint co-operation between relevant authorities and the ministry’s vital role as the executive arm of the federal government.

Such projects are considered among the major pillars of sustainable development in the UAE, due to their key role in achieving economic growth and social prosperity, by facilitating transportation between two emirates and its vital cities, as well as linking them to various national access points, he added.