Oman’s Transport and Communications Ministry has invited contractors to submit bids for the first two construction packages on its 265 kilometre long expressway project.

Contractors have until 15 August to submit bids for the first package on the expressway package. The first package will cover the construction of the 45km stretch from Naseem Garden to Suwaiq.

For the second package, contractors have been invited to submit bids by the 22 August.  The second package will cover the road from Suwaiq to Shinas.

The 265km-long Batinah Expressway will extend from the current Muscat Expressway to Khatmat Malaha, located on the Oman/UAE border.

The expressway project has been allocated about OR250m ($649m) in the sultanate’s eighth Five-Year Plan (2011 to 2015) which was announced by the government earlier in the year.

The expressway will run parallel to the existing Batinah highway. In March, the ministry invited contractors to submit bids for the design and construction of 24 junctions on the highway (MEED 16:3:11).