Agreement signed to complete Phase I of Al Batinah Coastal Road

Muscat: The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology today signed an agreement to the tune of OMR79 million for the design, implementation and finalization of the first phase of Al Batinah Coastal Road.

The agreement was concluded within the context of a drive to develop the transport and logistics sector to activate its role in serving the national economy.

The agreement was signed by Eng. Said Hamoud Al Maawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, and Mohammed Abdullatif, General Manager of Consolidated Contractors Company Oman that undertakes the project. The ceremony was attended by Eng. Badr Salim Al Maamari, Secretary General of the Tender Board.

Eng. Said told reporters that the project assumes special significance due to the fact that it connects Khazaen economic zone with adjoining wilayats and the Port of Al Suwaiq.

The minister said that Al Batinah Coastal Road will ease traffic jams in the wilayats of Barka, Al Musanaa and Al Suwaiq, besides connecting the area with the wilayats of Liwa and Shinas. This will have a positive economic impact on the local economy, the minister added.

He explained that the remaining parts of the road (a 111km stretch from Al Suwaiq to Sohar) will begin to be implemented after the completion of compensations for those whose properties are affected by the project.

The agreement provides for paving the remaining parts of the carriageway from Barka and Al Suwaiq, the construction of a flyover to replace Al Suwaiq roundabout. It also includes the completion of the first part of the first phase (30km that includes 22km from Barka to Al Suwaiq Port and 8km for the part from Sohar Port to Khatmat Milaha. It includes the construction of four bridges across wadis (valleys), 67 culverts and service roads on both sides of the road.

The agreement also covers the construction of a 4-km dual carriageway from Barka flyover to Barka Souq (marketplace) and a 6-km link to the Wilayat of Al Suwaiq, including the construction of Al Suwaiq flyover across Al Batinah Highway.

It is worth noting that Al Batinah Coastal Road project begins from the Wilayat of Barka and ends at Khatma Milaha in the Wilayat of Shinas. It is a 244km road that consists of two phases. The first phase includes two parts, the first of which starts from Al-Naseem Interchange in the Wilayat of Barka to Al Suwaiq Port (66km) and the second starts from Sohar Port to Khatmat Milaha (67km). The second phase of Al Batinah Coast Road extends 111km from from Al Suwaiq Port to Sohar Port.