DAMMAM — The 25-km-long King Fahd Causeway linking Saudi Arabia and Bahrain is set for a gradual reopening some time after Eid Al-Adha, tentatively falling on July 31. The causeway linking Bahrain's Al-Jasra to Saudi Arabia's Al-Khobar has been closed since March 7 due to COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The King Fahd Causeway Authority recently completed the installation of new gates on the Saudi Arabian side of the bridge that will see it fitted with automated payment portals to ease contactless interaction of travelers crossing into Bahrain, Dammam-based Al-Yaum newspaper said citing knowledgeable sources. Authorities within Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) also confirmed that it had used the downtime during the bridge's closure to implement e-payment lanes as part of overdue plans to upgrade facilities. The Al-Yaum report did not confirm the exact date of the bridge's reopening, but added that authorities were aiming for a gradual process starting in August after the upcoming Eid Al-Adha holidays. Last week, Bahrain's Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Waleed Al-Manea, confirmed that the authorities on both sides have laid out procedures and protocols ahead of the causeway's reopening to preserve the health and safety of travelers, Al Arabiya English said. "Coordination is continuous between the two sides to coordinate the movement of entry and exit of travelers across the King Fahd bridge within the standards and precautions used in fighting the COVID-19 coronavirus in order to preserve their safety, which is our top priority," Al-Manea was quoted as saying last Wednesday.
