Oman’s Transport and Communications Ministry has invited contractors to submit bids to build two interchanges along Batinah highway.

The work involves building two grade-separated junctions along stage three of the Batinah highway between Muscat and Sohar. Contractors have until 29 July to submit bids for the project. The US’ Parsons International is the consultant on the scheme.

The ministry also recently received bids for packages four, five and six of its 265-kilometre-long Batinah expressway project.

The Batinah expressway will extend from the current Muscat expressway to Khamat Malaha, located on the Oman/UAE border. The road will run parallel to the existing Batinah highway.

The lowest bids for each of the three packages were submitted by the Omani subsidiary of India’s Larsen & Toubro. The bids were opened on 11 June.

The tenders are among a total of 11 packages on the Batinah expressway project. Last year, the ministry awarded the contract for package one of the project to the local Galfar Engineering for RO138.9m ($360.8m).  

The contract for package two, which was won by a joint venture of Malaysian firm WCT Berhad and Oman Roads Engineering Co, was recently cancelled by the ministry and is to be re-tendered.

In April, the contract for package three of the project was awarded to India’s Simplex Infrastructures for RO122.4m.