The contract for the second package of the Batinah Expressway, which was awarded last year and then cancelled two months ago, has been retendered by Oman’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC).

In August 2012, a consortium of Malaysia’s WCT Engineering and Oman Roads Engineering Company was awarded the contract for package two, which was valued at OMR123.2m ($320m). The scope of work involved the construction of a 44.75 kilometre-long dual four-lane expressway, which was to be completed in 36 months.

In April this year, the ministry informed the joint venture that it had decided not to proceed with the project pursuant to the tender and said it would be retendering the package.

Companies have until 12 August to bid for the re-floated contract.

The entire 265km-long Al-Batinah Expressway project will be completed in 11 packages, with the total investment for the project estimated to be about RO1bn.

The ministry awarded the contract for package one of the project last year to local Galfar Engineering for RO138.9m.  

In April, the contract for package three of the project was awarded to India’s Simplex Infrastructures for RO122.35m.

Earlier this month, the ministry received bids for packages four, five and six of the project.