An artist’s impression of the centre.

WORK is set to begin this year on a centre dedicated to disabled people in Bahrain, said a top official of the Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Ministry.

To be funded by the Kuwaiti Economic Development Fund, the centre will be built in A’Ali at a cost of BD7.4 million ($19.6 million), said Minister Essam Khalaf.

A 29,106-sq-m plot has been allocated for this Social Development Ministry project, which on completion, will accommodate 1,450 persons, of which 160 are expected to be administrative staff, the minister said.

The ministry’s construction projects directorate drew up the engineering designs for the project and would also supervise its construction, the minister said, adding, that the project has been designed to green buildings and sustainability specifications.

These include LED (light-emitting diodes) lighting, sensor mixers, double-glazed and thermal-insulated aluminium windows and thermal-insulated roofs. The design allows natural light to enter the building all day, saving on electricity consumption and helping with cases that require direct exposure to sunlight.

All rooms, corridors and halls will be acoustically insulated using vinyl flooring and roofs. The building will meet all the requirements of people with special needs. They include ramps along the entrances, a number of access points from the main road, four bus stations; and parking spaces.

The complex, part of a plan to construct 10 rehabilitation and educational buildings for the disabled, will be equipped and operated by the Social Development Ministry in collaboration and partnership with civil society organisations.