Bahrain: A new flyover connecting Al Estiqlal Highway and Riffa could be built as part of plans to urbanise an area previously used as an illegal dumping ground.
The Southern Municipal Council yesterday approved a project to further develop Buhair Valley which also includes creating a natural sanctuary in the area that is famous for its springwater.
Development
The valley has undergone extensive infrastructure development in the last 15 years due to a surge in the number of residents, while the Housing Ministry is working on building hundreds of government homes in the area and authorities are allowing permits for businesses to open.
However, the plans prepared by the Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Ministry draw up further development including a flyover connecting Al Estiqlal Highway and December 16 Highway in addition to new roads and sewage networks.
A natural sanctuary is also being planned for the valley in the Southern Governorate but details have to be determined by the ministries concerned, said council chairman and area councillor Ahmed Al Ansari during a visit to the site with the GDN.
“What used to be known as a dumping ground is now on high demand for residents and businesses,” Mr Al Ansari told the GDN.
“Everyone wants a piece of Bahrain and what were just five or six buildings in addition to 20 homes just 15 years ago is now a huge lively town.
“There are multi-storey commercial and office buildings, hospitals and clinics, and private homes, with the hundreds of government homes also set for the place very soon.
“Buhair is seeing a huge surge in population and it has to be met with infrastructure that is currently not available.”
A halt to development on several plots in Buhair was earlier introduced so the government could acquire parts of them for infrastructure projects and public services.
Mr Al Ansari said a major overhaul of the valley was in the pipeline which will take place over the next decade.
“The budget for infrastructure projects will be met from the $10 billion GCC Development Fund and will include a major highway from Al Estiqlal Petrol Station to behind the Bahrain National Stadium, besides road, sewage, rain drainage and electricity and water networks,” he explained.
“The Buhair Youth Centre, which was supposed to be built in the area, has been cancelled to allow work on the revamp to go ahead, which I accepted on the condition it is given another location in future.”
The council also voted in favour of moving two companies, Mechanical Contracting and Services Company and Chicago Steel Contracting, to Hidd following complaints from residents about noise pollution.
Both industries have been at the valley for the last 44 years, before residents even moved in, according to the council.
“The futuristic vision for the area has changed and for that the industries there have to go to Hidd with other industries, while a natural sanctuary for springwater and birds has to be defined,” added Mr Al Ansari
Work on the Buhair Valley housing project ground to a halt in May 2013, after decades of accumulated waste went up in flames while it was being removed. The decomposing garbage had become a reservoir of methane gas, which was ignited and released when the rubbish was disturbed, the GDN reported at the time.
Senior environment officials were called in and a moratorium on further excavation work was issued and work was later continued.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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