The larger of the contracts, worth KD 27.9 million ($93 million), will be awarded to the local Mohamed Abdulmohsin Kharafi & Sons. Called infrastructure-1, the contract covers the construction of a 3,300-cubic-metre-a-day sewage treatment plant, freshwater storage tanks and stormwater drainage facilities and water and irrigation networks. It also includes the construction of access roads, overall landscaping and the installation of 132/11-kV substations and 132-kV overhead transmission lines.

For infrastructure-2, CTC has approved the award of a KD 20.4 million ($68 million) contract to Consolidated Contractors Company (Conco), also local. The contract calls for the construction of internal roads and landscaping and the installation of 110-kV transformer stations, communications lines and ducts in blocks 2, 3 and 7. Both packages will take about 30 months to complete.

A team of the local Gulf Consult and the UK's WS Atkins International has carried out the design work for the proposed development, which will be constructed in phases.

Under phase 1, housing units and infrastructure facilities will be built for 13,000 residents. The township, when completed, will be home to 250,000 people. The client is the Executive Authority for the Development of Kuwaiti Islands, Divided Zones & Major Projects (MEED 16:8:02).

Another project is planned at Al-Khiran. Known as the Pearl City development, the mixed-use project calls for the development of the seafront city. The project, to be built in stages over a total area of 6,500 hectares, is planned to be home for 50,000 residents.

A tender is due to be issued by early 2004 for the package to build about 1,000 chalets, schools, community centres and related facilities. The consultant is a team of the UK's Buro Happold with Gulf Consult. The client is the local La'Ala al-Kuwait Real Estate Company.