PLANS are being drawn up for a roads network on Hawar Islands to boost tourism once things return to normal post the coronavirus pandemic.
The Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry said it has completed preliminary designs for roads to make it easier for tourists to move around in Bahrain’s biggest natural habitat.
The ministry’s roads affairs under-secretary Ahmed Al Khayat informed the Southern Municipal Council that the eco-friendly infrastructure project will be tendered shortly.
Hawar Islands, currently vying for World Heritage Site status, is a protected nature reserve attracting thousands of migratory birds, as well as rare marine species such as the dugong.
“Hawar Islands is without a shadow of doubt heaven on earth which will fascinate anyone the moment they step there,” said area councillor Hizam Al Dossary.
“Natural beauty admirers love the place even though transportation and movement is hindered by lack of proper infrastructure.
“There is much more to Hawar and the government is working to get tourism picking up there post Covid-19.
“The road’s rehabilitation and extension plan is a step in the right direction for when tourism returns to Hawar, but the project has to be tendered fast.”
Mr Al Dossary, who is also the council’s financial, administrative and legislative committee chairman, believes that more can be done now.
“The roads project could be designed as an oval circuit rather than just from one end to another and back.
“I understand that spending is limited due to financial woes, but the plan should be there, and the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority should show interest, by financing it alongside the many projects it has in the pipeline.
“Eco-friendly means low budget and minimal infrastructure and this is an opportunity to present people with something new when life returns back to normal.”
The GDN reported in March that a plan for a multi-million dinar 23km causeway linking Hawar Islands to Bahrain’s mainland has been given the green signal.
One option under consideration is to build a bridge stretching from the furthest point in the south of Bahrain, Ras Al Bar, to the northwest corner of Hawar.
The government has already included funding in its former 2019-2020 national budget to place electricity cables, protected by a secure pathway on the seabed, to the coastal haven from the mainland.
However, Parliament’s public utilities and environment affairs committee believes that a causeway, above the power connections, would be a better project.
Qatar previously claimed ownership of the islands but an International Court of Justice ruling in 2001 confirmed they belonged to Bahrain.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
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