Yemen’s Public Works & Highways Ministry has awarded India’s Punj Lloyd a contract to build a portion of a major road project in the country.

The company said it has received a Letter of Award from the ministry for the construction of a 42km, two to three-lane dual highway between Doraigh and Noubat Dokaim in Yemen.

The project, valued at $211.4m, is funded by the Saudi Development Fund.

Located 60km from the port city of Aden, the work involves excavation of more than 10 million cubic metres, road paving, surface sealing, two major concrete overpass bridges, and box and associated infrastructure work.

“This is the first major expressway project for Punj Lloyd in the Middle East,” says Pardeep Tandon, president and CEO, buildings and infrastructure, Middle East and Africa and Commonwealth of Independent States, at Punj Lloyd. “Our existing expertise in this sector, coupled with our strong assets of equipment and manpower, was a strong determinant in our winning this order amid tough global competition.”

In January, the ministry invited companies to prequalify for contracts to build the first part of the planned Saada-Aden Yemen International Corridor Highway.

The 710km-long road project was first envisioned in 2003 and has been revived by the government as part of efforts to promote economic integration and political consolidation in the country. The plan involves building a new multi-lane expressway alongside Yemen’s existing major artery, which begins in the southern port city of Aden and passes through Taiz, Ibb, Dhamar, Sanaa, Amran and Saada, before reaching the Saudi Arabian border.

The first section of the new corridor highway to be built is a stretch of road between Aden and Taiz, which is of particular importance since it connects the areas of the former South and North Yemen.

International contractors were invited to prequalify for the deals to build the first part of phase 1 of the project, which covers a 55km stretch of the highway from Noubat Dokaim to Aden. The first contract involves the construction of the road from Noubat Dokaim to Al-Majhafa. The second deal is to build the stretch of road from Al-Majhafa to Aden.