The local/Belgian Bel Hasa Six Construct has been awarded a AED100m ($27m) contract for additional work on the bridges connecting Nakheel’s Deira Islands development with the Deira corniche.

The contractor was awarded a AED300m ($81.7m) contract to build access bridges in 2007 to what was then known as Palm Deira.

Project client: The project client was Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and

Developer: local developer Nakheel was providing the funding.

Consultant: US-based Parsons International

Parsons is also the consultant for the RTA’s Shindagha corridor scheme that will connect to the Deira Islands bridges. It consists of several major construction packages, includes a signature bridge across the entrance to the Dubai Creek, a 12 lane expressway and various intersections in Deira and Bur Dubai. Parsons will also conduct an evaluation of the existing Shindagha tunnel.

MEED reported in March last year that Dubai is planning to build two new bridges that will connect Nakheel’s offshore Deira Islands development with mainland Dubai. The bridges will connect Deira Islands with the Bur Dubai side of Dubai Creek in the Shindagha area.

Building work is starting on Deira Islands. In October, Nakheel awarded a AED1.17bn contract to the local United Engineering Construction (UNEC) for the Deira Islands Night Souq and Boardwalk. Once completed, the souq will stretch almost 2 kilometres along Deira Islands’ waterfront, and feature 5,300 shops and nearly 100 quayside cafes and restaurants. In June, Nakheel awarded Van Oord of the Netherlands a two-year AED387m ($105m) contract to deliver 23.5 kilometres of coastline and breakwaters at Deira Islands.