As part of the Kingdom’s government-owned lands’ development programme, Bahrain’s Housing Ministry has awarded Al Namal Contracting and Trading Company a contract to build 132 housing units and infrastructure on land in the Al Lawzi area of the Kingdom.

The contract was signed by Housing Minister Bassim bin Yacoob Al Hamar and Al Namal Contracting and Trading Company’s chairman Dr Varghese Kurian. The contract is the first of the pilot phase of the government-owned lands’ development programme, said a statement.

The programme was launched by the Housing Ministry as one of the initiatives aimed at involving real estate developers and contracting companies to implement social housing projects for the citizens who meet the eligibility criteria.

“This scheme is among the top priorities of the government, led by HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. We plan to build nearly 15,000 homes on state-owned land plots, which will help provide beneficiaries with more housing units at competitive prices,” Al Hamar commented.

Following the completion of construction, the units will be sold to the Kingdom’s citizens, who are on waiting lists of the ministry’s financing programmes, said officials at the signing ceremony.

Al Hamar said the programme was launched in cooperation with the private sector as part of efforts to achieve His Majesty King Hamad’s order to build 40,000 housing units. He also stated that the partnership with the private sector has contributed to delivering more than 7,000 housing services.

The minister pointed out that following the successful completion of the pilot project, similar housing projects will be implemented across other governorates.