Developers of Amwaj Gateway, a major Bahrain project, have denied claims construction has been halted and investors are left in the lurch.

Amwaj Gateway managing director Qais Al Maskati said 'all is well' at the construction site, but declined to answer specific questions.

There were no workers when our sister newspaper the Gulf Daily News (GDN) visited the project and sources said all work had stopped since December.

Sources had earlier told the GDN that Turkish company Cukurova Construction, which had originally been awarded the contract, had left in 2008, after only a few months on the job, because it had 'other plans'.

Work was then taken over by another Turkish company, Garantikoza, said the sources.

However, the site has now reportedly been 'abandoned' after developers have not paid the company, the GDN has learnt. Sources also said there had been no work since December because of 'non-payment of monies.'

A Garantikoza source confirmed to the GDN that they 'work when the money comes' and 'stop when the money runs out'.

But work stopped completely in December, said the source.

'We are trying to sit with the contractor and thrash out certain things, but we are not being given any firm commitments yet,' said the official.

The $183 million (BD69 million) project, launched in July 2006, was originally scheduled to be completed last May.

'Work was halted several weeks ago and there are no workers on site any more,' said one buyer, who claimed he had paid around 90 per cent of the cost of his property at the development.

'We are worried the project has been indefinitely delayed and that we shall be left for a long time without our homes being ready.'

The Bahraini said he had been trying to reach the management of the company without success.

Another buyer, from the UK, said he had been told there was no money to pay the contractors or for materials.

'Most buyers have paid between 80 and 90pc of their commitment.

'The company should be able to draw on considerable cash reserves and cannot blame the general weak market conditions for its actions.'

Another buyer, from Europe, said he had paid the developers BD80,000.

'I have no clue when my flat will be ready and I am really worried.'

He said he had made several unsuccessful attempts to reach the management, but had been 'shouted down' by a salesperson at the site.

'I was to be handed over my property in March and then they said it would be in May and then made it October this year.

'By the looks of it, I am sceptical whether it would ever be completed.

'I have a property at another place in Bahrain (Riffa Views) and that, too, is delayed. But I am at least able to talk to the management, who are answering my questions.'

An official associated with the project said the main construction work had been completed and the main contractor had left.

'We are shortly tendering for the finishing contract and once that is awarded, work will re-start,' the official said in response to questions by a GDN journalist posing as a potential client.

The official admitted the project was behind schedule but said it would 'definitely be completed' by the end of the year.

'We had targeted a September 2010 completion but will now complete it by December,' said the official.

The project is promoted by Bahrain-based RealCapita and Yara Investments and covers 360,000 square feet.

It consists of six 20-storey towers that will accommodate 550 units.

The development includes condos, apartments, a hotel, restaurants, shops, town houses, swimming pools, gymnasiums and a private beach, all within a gated community.

Officials from Cukurova Construction could not be reached for comment.-TradeArabia News Service