Highway project put on ice ‘owing to shortage of funds’

The shortage of funds has been the main cause behind the delay of one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the Kingdom, it is revealed.

The development of Wali Al Ahd Highway in Riffa was scheduled to begin in January this year, but it was apparently put on hold, as it wasn’t included in the State’s general budget.

This was stated by Southern Area Municipal Council Head Ahmed Al Ansari, who told Tribune that the project was planned to replace the iconic Clock Tower Roundabout, located between East and West Riffa, with an intersection as a long-term solution to overcome the heavy traffic jams on the vital highway.

Mr Al Ansari explained that the project would include doubling the number of lanes on the highway, making it four lanes on each direction. He also said that a railway was planned, but added that the project remained mere ink on paper because of the shortage of funds.