Two Kuwait-based companies have submitted bids for infrastructure work on a Bahrain housing project being developed by the Ministry of Housing.

Al-Khafari & Sons submitted a low of BD63.1m ($167.3m) while a joint venture of Kuwait’s Copri Construction and Bahrain’s Cebarco submitted an offer of BD63.3m ($167.9).

The scope of the work covers infrastructure work on the first phase of the East Hidd Housing Project and includes road works, sewage and drainage systems as well as all other associated works.

The Ministry of Housing is developing the East Hidd Town. It is one of at least six new towns planned in Bahrain that is aimed at tackling the social housing backlog in the country.

The housing project will consist of over 4,500 housing units, with an anticipated population of 28,000 people.

The entire project is expected to cost up to $500 and is being funded through a GCC grant, according to a spokesperson from the UK’s Atkins, which is serving as the main consultant on the project.

Earlier this year the first phase of the project, which consisted of 483 villas, was complete. The main construction work for the first phase was carried out by a joint venture made up of the construction arm of the local Nass Group and Kuwait’s Khalid Ali al-Kharafi & Brothers.

In May 2015, a target was set to build more than 40,000 government homes in eight years, with new urban areas planned including Hidd, Sitra, the Southern Governorate, Salmabad and Muharraq.

MEED also reported the Southern Municipal Council of Bahrain had announced plans to develop unused land in the south of the country. It plans to draw up a list of all government-owned land, which covers an area stretching from Sakhir to Isa Town in the south.