Four Bahraini contractors were selected to start the construction work by mid this month after a tender had been launched by the Housing Ministry, he revealed, pointing out that the northern city project is expected to contain 15,000 housing units.
He said the first phase of the project includes the building of 2300 housing units over a period of time of two years and a half. The 530 units which the ministry will start building are part of the first phase and their construction will last only one year, he added, pointing out that the first phase will also include the building of 2470 housing units by the private sector represented by Naseej Company.
The Housing Ministry is planning to sign the second contract with Naseej to activate the agreement signed by both sides, he explained, pointing out that financial and technical procedures might take time before embarking on the implementation of the part related to the private sector.
He said the ministry is planning to start the second phase, which will consist of 4000 housing services, land plots, units and modern flats, according to the time schedules included in the general plan for the northern city which is expected to be ready next September.
Ministries and concerned parties will, then, draw their final visions regarding the ongoing projects and the infrastructure they need.
He stressed that the northern city is one of the main cornerstones of the strategic housing scheme mapped out by the Housing Ministry recently.
He expected the project, alongside other ones in the pipeline like east Hidd and east Sitra cities, to cut down the number of applications on the waiting list.
He considered starting the construction work of the northern city project as the fruit of the unlimited support and valuable directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to tackle the housing issue.
He also commended the support and continuous follow-up of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander, in this regard.
The Northern city project is carried out on an area of 740 hectares and lies in Northwest Bahrain. It is considered as one of the most outstanding and beautiful housing projects due to the beautiful scenery and its composition of a many islands.
HRH the Crown Prince, the former Head of the Housing and Construction Committee, laid the foundation stone of the project in 2002.