$1.6bn Bahrain project awards infrastructure contract

A contract has been awarded for infrastructure works for the first phase of Bahrain's planned $1.6bn Dilmunia Island project.

Ithmaar Development Company (IDC) made the announcement relating to the 125-hectare island's highways and roads, a distributor bridge, landscaping and its power, water, sewerage and drainage, and telecommunications networks.

The first phase of Dilmunia's infrastructure is valued at $22.5m and will take 24 months to be completed, the company said in a statement.

It added that end-users can expect to be handed the keys to their units by mid-2015.

Dilmunia at Bahrain is a mixed-use project built on man-made island that has already come up off the coast of Muharraq.

With a health and wellness anchor, Dilmunia will also include residences, hotels, leisure and shopping districts, and will provide residents and visitors with hospital facilities, spas and wellness services in a resort-type environment.

IDC's chief executive, Mohammed Khalil Alsayed, said Cebarco Bahrain, one of the largest construction companies in the kingdom, had been awarded the infrastructure contract.

Cebarco Bahrain, part of KAR Group, is known for their work on the Formula One Circuits in both Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, Bahrain City Centre and a number of infrastructure projects.

"The award of infrastructure works for Dilmunia signals a solid vote of confidence by developers and investors alike, on Bahrain's immediate prospects as also for the longer term," added Alsayed.

"Dilmunia, and the uniqueness of its concept, continues to generate interest from potential end-users, sub-developers and operators alike. We look forward to a busy 2013 in which we will initiate further development on the island", he added.