key road project awarded in Bahrain

Bahrain gas interchange revamp project contract has been awarded to Parsons Global Services Limited at cost of BD345,620,000.

As part of the Ministry of Works efforts to improve Isa Town entrances and exits, the Bahrain gas interchange revamp project has recently been awarded to Parsons Global Services Limited at cost of BD345,620,000.
According to the Roads Assistant Undersecretary, Huda Fakhro, the project is one of the utmost priorities within the roads revamp strategic plan, which is expected to provide a non-stop traffic flow along Shaikh Salman Highway and Isa Town entrances in particular, in addition to smoothening traffic flow along Shaikh Isa bin Salman highway for traffic coming from Manama, Sitra and Muharraq.
The official said that the revamp project is now in its second phase, as the first phase was completed in 2008 which comprised transforming the Bahrain gas roundabout into a traffic signal controlled interchange.
Also, Fakhro said that recent traffic surveys indicated that the number of vehicles travelling along the interchange exceeded 1,1000 during rush hours; when the present capacity of the interchange does not exceed 7,500 vehicles.
Once completed, the interchange will positively improve traffic flow and solve traffic congestion issues by increasing the capacity of the interchange itself.
'This is Bahrain' signs interfaith agreement
A delegation representing "This is Bahrain" visited the Sixth and I Historic Synagogue, which was established in 1908 in Washington, the US.
The Bahraini delegation was welcomed by Rabbi Shira Stutman, director of Jewish programming, who hailed the visit which aims at achieving interfaith co-existence and peace and promoting cultural exchanges.
Rabbi Scott Perlo, associate director of Jewish programming, briefed the delegation about the Hebrew liturgical hymns at the synagogue, which advocates partnership and amity between all sects in the State of Washington DC.
Secretary-General of the Bahrain Federation of Expatriate Associations (BFEA), Betsy Mathieson, stressed the importance of such meetings between all social and religious components in defeating extremism and promoting the role of future cities as models of interfaith and social coexistence.
A memorandum of understanding was signed, on the sidelines of the visit, to promote interfaith peace and amity by hosting events and exchanging visits.
130,000 families registered in cash payouts
More than 130,000 Bahraini households have been registered in the cash payouts in return for axing meat subsidy, the Central Informatics Organisation revealed.
It added that since starting registration on September 15, more than 117,000 families have been registered automatically as their names are already enlisted in the social development ministry's financial support lists while more than 13,000 households showed interest in benefiting from the cash compensation for lifting subsidy on meat by registering their data via available means.
The number of families who are not automatically registered in the system is expected to go up in the next days. However, the Central Informatics Organisation ruled out the possibility for the registration rate to reach 100 per cent as registration is optional and only conditioned by permanent residence in Bahrain.
Within the same context, Social Development Minister Faeqa bint Saeed Al Saleh paid inspection visits, alongside senior officials from the ministry, over the first three days after starting registration to the social centres to get assured about the registration process and directed to raise the number of employees in charge of registrations and answer queries through the ministry's hotline 80008088.
There are eight social centres across Bahrain: Ibn Khuldoon, Manama, Sitra, Jidd Hafs, Hamad Town, Isa Town, Abdullah bin Yousef Fakhro and Riffa which are open during the official work time from Sunday to Thursday from 7.30am to 1.30pm.

• Bahrain