A contract for reclamation work on a massive $1 billion tourist resort in the northeast of Muharraq, Bahrain, is expected to be awarded by the end of this month. The proposed Amwaj Islands tourism project, which will also have 1,350 residential plots, is being built by Ossis Property Developers.

The new island is being developed on 30 million sq ft of reclaimed land, with a beachfront of 9.5 km, Ossis chairman Saud Abdulaziz Kanoo said.

The first phase of the project, which will be completed in 20 months, will include reclamation, development of infrastructure such as water, drainage, telephones and electricity, roads, streetlighting and pavements.

Kanoo said 12 companies had already submitted bids for reclamation. "We are currently evaluating the tenders and we hope to award the contract shrotly," he said.

The second phase of the project will be the development of world-class tourism facilities, Kanoo said.

"These will include one five-star resort hotel, two four-star hotels, and five three-star hotels, two marinas, cinemas and commercial complexes. All these have been zoned. For the five-star hotel management, we are negotiating with an international chain," said Kanoo.

One of the marinas has been sold, even prior to its development. It has been designed by Gulf House Engineering, and work is expected to start in August.

A 3-km causeway will be constructed to link the new ring road highway with Amwaj Islands, which means the distance from the Bahrain International Airport to the new island will be about 8 km.

The beachfront enclave, to be located 1 to 2 km east of Muharraq island, will be a self-contained community with all the amenities and conveniences of life.