A whopping SR150 million fine has been imposed on contractors of companies executing bridge projects in Jeddah for the delay in project completion, said the city's Deputy Mayor for Construction and Projects, Engineer Ibrahim Katabkhanah. However, Katabkhanah also noted that the networks of sewage pipelines and electricity cables at the sites of these projects have caused an additional delay in the completion of the projects. He said the existence of these networks required redesigning of the projects. “When the new designs are completed, delay fines will be imposed. A contractor who does not complete the project within the stipulated period can be fined 10 percent of the contract's value,” he said. The deputy mayor said projects being executed in Jeddah in general are worth more than SR1.5 billion. Of this SR690 million worth of projects are for bridges and tunnels at the city's 12 intersections. Maintenance and operation projects are worth more than SR560 million, he said. The construction of bridges and tunnels is being carried out at intersections of Prince Majid Street and Hera Street, Prince Majid Street and Al-Rawdah Street, Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz Street and Umm Al-Qura Street, Prince Majid Street and Gharnatah Street, Prince Majid Street and Palestine Street, King Abdullah Road and King Abdul Aziz Road, Makkah Old Road and the streets of Al-Eskaan and Al-Jamia, Prince Sultan Street and Sari Street, Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz Road and Prince Mit'eb Street, King Fahd Street and Quraish Street, Makraunah Street and Hera Street, and King Fahd Road and Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz Street. Katabkhanah said rainwater drainage projects worth SR459 million are underway. Moreover, projects worth SR284 million for pavements and a SR24 million project of the Eastern Forest are in the pipeline. He said SR40 million have been allocated for increasing the efficiency of the sewage water processing station in Wadi Asqala'a. Regarding maintenance projects, he said roads had the largest allocation of SR416 million, and that allocations for street lights was SR70 million. Allocations for the maintenance of existing rainwater drainage projects are more than SR34 million. About 1,600 holes in Jeddah's streets, caused by infrastructure projects' contractors, are now being filled, according to Katabkhanah. Over 700 sites have already been repaired, he added. – Okaz __
