Bahrain’s Housing Ministry has received prequalification documents from 44 companies for the construction of houses in the kingdom.

Although the majority of the contractors that have submitted documents are local companies, there are also regional and international firms that have given documents to the ministry.

The ministry is seeking contractors for other upcoming projects in the kingdom. Contractors have been invited to submit prequalification documents by 9 May for the construction of apartment buildings, and by 16 May for infrastructure work.

In late April, the ministry received bids from consultants for the project management and site supervision of three projects in Bahrain.

The housing and infrastructure projects, which are being funding with Saudi Development Fund (SDF) support are at Ramli, Qalali, and Wadi al-Sail.

Altogether, the ministry aims to build 40,000 housing units by 2022.

Of these, 5,000 have been delivered and occupied, another 8,885 are due to be delivered by the end of 2018, 4,000 are under construction and 7,000 are in the tendering stage.

Under the current plan, the ministry is expected to deliver more than 15,000 more housing units between 2019 and 2022.

MEED understands the ministry has a waiting list of 60,000 applicants.

Bahrain’s social housing programme allows eligible applicants to purchase a housing unit of their choice, through mortgage finance obtained from conventional or Islamic participating financial institutions.

The government subsidises the mortgage installments, to which the beneficiary contributes 25 percent of their monthly income and the government contributes the difference between the total monthly installment and beneficiary’s contribution over 25 years.

The ministry’s new township developments are located in East Hidd, East Sitra, Al-Oyoun, Al-Madina al-Shamaliya, Ramli and Southern City.