A joint venture of Kuwait-based Al-Ghanim International and local National Industrial Contracting Company has won the QR671m ($184m) contract for a section of the $15bn designated for the local roads and drainage programme.

The road and infrastructure contract is for zones 51 and 71 (Al-Kharaitiyat and Izhghawa).

MEED understands the road is located mainly in Umm Slal Municipality with a small portion of the road extending to Al-Rayyan Municipality.

Earlier this year, MEED reported that Public Works Authority (Ashghal) expects to tender major packages under the programme during the course of 2018.

The roads and infrastructure packages include:

• Al-Meshaf (package 5)
• Jeryan Jenaihat (phase 2)
• Al-Kheesa North and East (Rawdat al-Hamama District) (package 2)
• Umm Salal Mohammed (package 1)
• Mebaireek (zone 81)
• Zone 54 (Muraikh, Luaib, Mehairja, Fereej al-Amir, North of Baaya and North Fereej al-Soudan)
• North of Ain Khalid (zone 56, package 1)

These packages are understood to have a budget of at least QR1bn ($274bn).

LRDP works have been divided into five geographical areas, which together cover the entire country. Ashghal has appointed consultants to supervise each area.

According to MEED Projects data, an estimated $2.9bn-worth of contracts under the programme have been completed with a further $2.7bn under construction.

The entire programme is due for completion by 2020, two years prior to the staging of the Fifa World Cup.

The rest of the packages, worth an estimated $10bn, are under procurement or design.