In implementation of the Royal Directive of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, to preserve the historical and cultural identity of Bahrain's buildings and cities, revive Isa Al Kabeer Palace, and develop Muharraq City while safeguarding its historical and cultural character, and in line with the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to activate the executive plan for the development of Muharraq City, His Excellency Eng. Ibrahim bin Hassan Al Hawaj, Minister of Works, conducted a field visit to the Muharraq development projects to review the progress of government projects under the plan.
The visit was attended by Eng. Shaikh Mishal bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Works; Eng. Maryam Amin, Assistant Undersecretary for Construction and Maintenance Projects; and several ministry officials. The visit forms part of the Ministry's continuous follow-up to ensure the projects are completed according to the approved implementation schedule.
During the visit, the Minister affirmed that the Muharraq development projects represent an integrated model that balances infrastructure development with the preservation of the city's architectural and heritage character, further strengthening Muharraq's position as one of the Kingdom's most prominent historical and cultural cities while providing a modern urban environment that meets the needs of residents and visitors alike.
The Minister reviewed progress on the Muharraq Gateway project, located at the main entrance to Shaikh Abdullah Avenue, which serves as the principal gateway to the area and reflects its heritage character. He explained that the road development works include a comprehensive upgrade of infrastructure, enhancement of urban façades, and the standardization of lighting elements and commercial signage to reflect Bahrain's authentic architectural identity. The project will also improve the roads leading to Isa Al Kabeer Palace in a manner befitting the historical and cultural significance of the area.
The Minister and the accompanying delegation also inspected progress on the development of Shaikh Abdullah Avenue and Shaikh Isa Avenue within the area surrounding Isa Al Kabeer Palace. He noted that the road development works include upgrading stormwater drainage, sewerage networks, and utility services in coordination with the relevant authorities, in addition to providing parking spaces along these streets and carrying out landscaping works.
The tour also included the development project on Shaikh Hamad Avenue, extending from the entrance of Muharraq Souq to Shaikh Isa Avenue, as well as the construction of two multi-storey parking facilities with a combined capacity of more than 300 parking spaces, in addition to creating extra parking areas at various locations to enhance service infrastructure and improve traffic flow in the area.
The Minister concluded his visit by receiving a briefing from the engineers and officials supervising the projects on the progress achieved, upcoming implementation phases, and coordination mechanisms among the concerned entities. He stressed the importance of adhering to the highest standards of quality and safety while maintaining the approved implementation timetable.
