The Ministry of Public Works and Housing plans to develop the road network in the Northern Emirates.
At a press conference yesterday, Ahmed Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of Communications and Acting Minister for Public Works and Housing, said the ministry is going ahead with expanding and maintaining the road network in the Northern Emirates.
The conference was attended by Ali Hamad Al Shamsi, Undersecretary of the ministry, Ali Rashid Lootah, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry for Public Works, and Ibrahim Abdul Malik, Assistant Under-secretary for Financial and Administrative Affairs and several other officials.
"Though the ministry plans to improve the road network, bridges and interchanges and offer international engineering standards for road users, it is also interested in road safety," Al Tayer said.
As part of the plan, the ministry will construct or repair several roads in the Northern Emirates. These includes the Umm Al Quwain-Falaj Al Mulla-Al Dhaid road at a cost of Dh118 million. The construction will start soon and it is expected to be ready by 2004.
The project comprises the maintaining of the existing road and adding road shoulders. It will be extended to dual carriageway. There will be camel underpasses, in addition to installation of fences, lighting and safety barriers.
The road, 47km in length, starts from Umm Al Quwain roundabout and runs through Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, ending at Al Dhaid.
Al Tayer said the ministry has also finalised the maintenance of roads such as Al Dhaid-Al Fujairah, at a cost of Dh70 million, the maintenance of Al Manama-Ras Al khaimah at a cost of Dh80 million, the building of Al Hamidiya interchange in Ajman at Dh24 million, and the maintenance of various bridges and interchanges in the Northern Emirates at Dh32 million.
The ministry is going ahead in its studies for the designs of the bypass road that will connect Dubai Bypass with Sharjah-Ras Al Khaimah. "The ministry is waiting to finalise the budget for constructing this road."
The ministry will soon start the construction of the Ring Road, extending the existing stretch to Ras Al Khaimah.
It is also going ahead with the maintenance of bridges in the Northern Emirates at a total cost of Dh58 million, which are expected to be ready next month.
"The ministry is constructing Ezen Al Towayeen Road at a cost of Dh130 million and it is expected to be ready by the end of this year. It comprises the building of two carriageways with lights along both sides.
"This project will offer service to the remote residential areas such as Al Surm, Coub, Al Twayeen, Al Riyamah, Jareef and Al Ghoub. It will also reduce travel time from Khor Fakkan and Dibba to the other emirates."
He assured that the ministry is interested in the development of all federal roads and will construct an alternative road for the existing one connecting Sharjah with Ras Al Khaimah, in addition to one connecting Dubai with Fujairah.
Construction of the Sharjah-Ras Al Khaimah alternative road is expected to start in July and will comprise two way carriageways 42km in length. It will start at the existing Umm Al Quwain-Al Dhaid Road and end at Al Rifaa area connecting Sharjah with Ras Al Khaimah.
The project also includes the development of a 10km stretch on the Sharjah-Ras Al Khaimah road ending at the Clock Tower Roundabout in Ras Al Khaimah.
The ministry will also start constructing in July a three-lane road, 20km in length, between Sharjah and Ajman.
The Minster said the 77km long Dubai-Fujairah highway will be constructed soon, starting from Al Sajahh-Al Khawaneej and ending at the entrance of Fujairah city. It will then go around Fujairah city, ending at Fujairah port after covering a distance of 10km.
This road is expected to reduce travel time to the Northern Emirates and also reduce traffic on the existing road. All the roads will have international standards of safety and capacity, with fences along both sides of the road, lighting, interchanges and underpasses for animals.
THE ROAD AHEAD
PROJECTCOST
* Construction of Umm Al Quwain-Dh118m Falaj Al Mulla-Al Dhaid road
* Road connecting Al Dhaid-Al FujairahDh70m
* Maintenance of Al Manama-Dh80mRas Al Khaimah road
* Construction of Al Hamidiya interchangeDh24m
* Maintenance of interchangesDh32min Northern Emirates
* Maintenance of bridgesDh58min Northern Emirates
* Construction of Ezen Al Towayeen RoadDh130m
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