OMAN’S housing ministry will soon award a contract for Phase Two of a new RO500-million ($1.3 billion) city in the northern Liwa province.

The second phase includes the construction of the project’s infrastructure involving water and power supply, roads, communications and other services.

According to Al Watan, the ministry had already awarded Phase One contract, which includes excavation, engineering services, sewage canals and other facilities at a cost of RO25 million ($65 million).

The project to be constructed on an area of around 8 sq km will include the building of 2,500 to 3,000 houses as well as eight schools, 11 mosques, health and social centres, greening and shopping centres.

It said the project would house nearly 30,000 people and is located near Al Batinah motorway and the railway, part of the planned multi-billion-dollar rail linking the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).