How much does it cost to build walkways in Bahrain?
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
The cost of constructing walkways varies according to the area and location.
Some walkways in cities have the infrastructure and road network connecting to the site and therefore their cost is lower than the coastal projects – like the Busaiteen Walkway – that may require filling the site, conducting environmental studies and establishing a network roads leading to it.
Accordingly, there is a variation in the cost from one project to another, which results in a variation in the budgets required for it.
This was the explanation of the Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, Eng. Essam bin Abdullah Khalaf, in his response to the question of MP Muhammad Khalifa Bu Hammoud on the subject.
The Ministry, with the support of the national government, pays great attention to public services and facilities in the Kingdom of Bahrain, as part of the government’s commitment to reduce the cost of building pathways and lands and provide the best services to citizens and residents.
The Minister indicated that there are many plans and programmes that the Ministry is working on to reduce the cost of construction and operation of walkways and parks.
The Ministry is working to reduce expenditures in various stages, whether planning or constructional and operational, and among these plans are the following:
1- Using clean energy (solar energy) in operating a number of recreational projects, such as the Busaiteen Walkway, and lighting a number of parks in various locations, which contributes to reducing operational costs.
2- Providing all entertainment services in the same project to avoid its repetition in another area close to it, such as providing walkways in parks to reduce the cost of constructing outdoor walkways as much as possible, for example developing a walkway among the components of Muharraq Grand Park and Water Park. It will also be applied in the King Faisal Corniche, which will contribute to reducing construction and operating expenses and ensuring the provision of integrated services.
3- Working to provide pedestrians within the right of the road and within the road projects, such as providing a walkway and a bike path within the project of establishing Prince Saud Al Faisal Street, which is an urban model for pedestrians on the roads, which is considered the beginning of the implementation of the general plan for the first phase of developing the waterfront between Manama and Muharraq, which will include tracks. For walking, jogging, cycling, green spaces, tourist and entertainment facilities, restaurants, and services extending between Juffair and the Seef area, there is also the Southern Ring Road project extending from the Plage Algiers Roundabout to the Sahel Hotel, with a length of about 10 km.
4- Involving the private sector to invest in specific areas of garden projects according to planning standards to provide support services in parks in exchange for assuming responsibility for the maintenance and operation of gardens, as has been done in Prince Khalifa Park and a number of other parks, as it will be implemented within the program of upcoming projects such as Mahooz Park and some paths such as Busaiteen Corniche. The camp coast and the Independence Walk, as there is imposing a symbolic fee for the use of public facilities (toilets) in some parks, and to apply them in the walkways in coordination with the municipal councils, with the aim of their sustainability and reducing maintenance work.
5- Implementing the Garden Friends initiative that enhances the community role of the people to preserve gardens in their residential areas and contribute to beautifying and maintaining them and holding community events in them, as has been done in the southern municipality and the northern municipality, and if the initiative succeeds, it will be applied to walkways as well.
6- Conducting research and studies that would provide access to international experiences in design, construction and planning urban to ensure providing the best municipal services with quality and competitive prices.
In his response to the question of MP Bu Hammoud, Minister Khalaf stressed that the lands on which these walkways were established are not all owned by the Ministry, but rather there are alleys established in agreement with other parties to build the walkway on their lands, as was done with Bapco to establish the camp walkway.
Walkways are also being constructed according to the Ministry’s specifications by other government agencies as was done by the Environment and Wildlife Authority in Doha Arad.
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