Major Muharraq facelift commences
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
A major Muharraq facelift that will transform the city’s landscape and preserve its cultural heritage has gotten underway.
Work began two days ago, following a plan outlined at the end of last year.
The development project is scheduled to conclude by the end of 2026, and it consists of five phases with detailed pathways.
It is being carried out in collaboration between various government service entities and includes a development area spanning 1.4 million square metres.
This area includes 16 listed houses along the Pearl Path, which are used for tourism and cultural activities, as well as 72 green spaces covering 12,000 square metres with the planting of 100,000 trees.
The plan also encompasses a 48-kilometre road and pedestrian network connecting what is called Al Furjan (neighbourhoods) and Al Bayouat (ancient houses), as well as the construction of seven multi-storey buildings for parking and 1,000 square metres of ground-level parking spaces throughout the city.
The project will follow five main tracks: updating building regulations, housing projects, landscaping and beautification, the Pearl Path, and parking and roads.
The project’s operational plan was initiated near Grand Isa Palace, where several sites in the area were fenced off. Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa Primary School for Boys has been demolished, and the land is expected to be repurposed for parking.
MP Hamad Al Doy, the representative of the second constituency in the Muharraq Governorate, confirmed the start of actual work involving the cooperation of various relevant entities, including the Ministry of Works, Municipalities, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, the Survey and Land Registration Bureau, and other related bodies.
Old Muharraq
The entire Old Muharraq area has been surveyed, including population counts, the number of Bahraini residents, the number of foreigners and their residences, as well as bachelor accommodations. Detailed information about various buildings in the area has been collected.
It is expected that a significant number of buildings will be vacated to make way for the project, while many others will be acquired.
Joint campaigns will also be conducted, specifically targeting bachelor accommodations to relocate all foreigners residing in Muharraq’s houses, followed by the renovation and construction of 2,000 residential buildings to facilitate the return of Muharraq’s residents, in line with the directives of His Majesty the King.
Al Doy revealed that more than 20 houses in several Old Muharraq neighbourhoods have been fenced off in preparation for their maintenance and acquisition for the project’s purposes.
He also disclosed plans to acquire several houses near the Grand Isa Palace, as well as plans to open new streets, particularly in Block 209.
Regarding the current scope of work, Al Doy stated that it is currently focused on three residential blocks in Old Muharraq, including 203, 205, and 209.
Additionally, work is being carried out in seven old neighbourhoods, namely Al Shuyoukh, Al Sayadi, Al Station, Ben Hindi, Al Qamra, Al Amamra, and Al Hayak. Al Doy emphasised that the Casino Garden will be developed into a traditional-style park that aligns with the project’s goals.
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