Bahrain's main post office in Muharraq will be relocated to a site near Shaikh Khalifa Port, in Hidd.

It will move from its existing location adjacent to the Muharraq Bus Station to a plot of land next to Bahrain's Customs headquarters, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

The contract to build the new post office, which could cost up to BD3 million ($7.9 million), has now been put out to tender.

Once the post office moves to its new premises its existing offices will be bulldozed and converted into a multistorey car park, at the request of the Muharraq Municipal Council.

"We have already tendered the project (for the new post office) and have directed the Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Ministry to carry out work, which would take up to two years to complete," Transportation and Telecommunications Minister Kamal Ahmed told the GDN.

"The current post office building will not be evacuated until we complete (the move) for obvious reasons, since we have no other place to go to."

The ministry initially opposed relocating the post office and was actually planning an expansion to accommodate growing numbers of parcels being shipped in from overseas, largely as a result of online shopping.

When the Muharraq Municipal Council twice rejected the ministry's plan, arguing the site was needed for additional parking, the Cabinet sided with councillors - ruling that the post office had to move.

The council, which initially sought empty land next to the post office for the car park, never expected that the post office would be relocated altogether.

"We wanted the empty land to build a multistorey car park for shoppers, who come from around the Gulf for traditional clothes, sweets and merchandise - and ended up with something bigger," said council financial, administrative and legislative committee chairman Ghazy Al Murbati.

"The ministry could have easily approved our decision, but it insisted on using the empty land for its expansion rather than building its warehouse on plots it owns near Bahrain International Airport or Busaiteen, where it has vast spaces.

"It ended up giving us everything, including the post office.

"As per discussions with the Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Ministry, the plan is for a four-storey car park that can accommodate up to 1,000 cars, rather than the 300 originally planned.

"In the coming days we will meet officials to offer input on the designs." - TradeArabia News Service