Plans for a new 12-kilometre coastal highway connecting Bahrain’s Seef District and a town being built on reclaimed land off the coast of Duraz has been scrapped.

The government planned to buy about 200 plots of private seafront land to pave the way for the new road, which would have run parallel to the Budaiya Highway and the Al-Nakheel Highway.

Initial plans included the development of several beaches and a marina along the road.

However, the Northern Municipal Council confirmed on 1 June that the $263m highway to the Northern Town, which is currently under construction, was axed and that a new 4km route would be built instead.

In April, MEED reported that the Ministry of Works stated an average of about BD50m ($135m) a year will be invested in key GCC-funded road and highway projects in Bahrain.

The ministry, which is overlooking the procurement process for all major road projects in Bahrain, has also confirmed that GCC-financed projects must be awarded to joint ventures incorporating at least one local partner from the respective GCC country providing the funding.

Other major road projects being financed by GCC funds in Bahrain include:

• Sheikh Jaber Highway (Kuwait)
• Sheikh Zayed Highway (Abu Dhabi)
• Al-Fateh Highway upgrade (Kuwait)
• North Manama Causeway (Saudi Arabia)