Work on the Alba & Nuwaidrat Interchange Revamp Project, a major part of Bahrain's strategic road network, is progressing well with all pillars installed and the castings in north and south Nuwaidrat flyovers put in place.

All the 152 pillars have been installed along Nuwaidrat Roundabout and castings in the north and south flyovers put in place, said a statement from the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs & Urban Planning.

The project, which is being funded by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, as part of the Gulf Fund Programme, is witnessing temporary and necessary traffic diversions; associated with the construction of flyovers along Alba Roundabout, it stated.

Once completed, the project will ease traffic congestion in the area. The project site currently witnesses a traffic movement of over 100,000 vehicles per day.

"The project is one of the most important strategic projects to develop the roads network in the kingdom, as the area is witnessing growing commercial and investment activity, together with a number of industrial facilities adjacent to the project," remarked Essam bin Abdullah Khalaf, the minister of of Works, Municipalities Affairs & Urban Planning after touring the project work site.

He was accompanied by works affairs undersecretary Ahmed Al Khayyat, the roads assistant undersecretary Huda Fakhro, road projects and maintenance director Sayyed Bader Alawi, communication director Fahad Buallay.

The minister called upon the officials to speed up the work on Nuwaidrat Flyover - the link flyover to King Hamad Highway from Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah Highway and Avenue 15 (particularly Refinery Avenue) - and finish it on time to ensure smooth traffic movement on that route.

According to Khalaf, the ministry has adopted the strategy of interim launch of the different phases in the project, whereby each part is opened for traffic once completed, thus helping in easing the traffic congestion.

"For example, the ministry opened the right lane for traffic coming from Sheikh Jaber Al Sabah Avenue towards Estiqlal Highway, which contributed to easing traffic congestion and reducing waiting time," he added.-TradeArabia News Service