The Department of Transport (DoT) in Abu Dhabi announced today that it has received bids from three international consortia competing for the 25 year concession to upgrade, finance, operate and maintain the Mafraq - Ghweifat Highway. The Highway, which stretches 327 km from Mafraq to the border at Ghweifat, provides the only access to the Western Region, including the industrial centre of Ruwais and several important tourist destinations. The project is the first transport-related public private partnership (PPP) project to be undertaken in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council). It will see the highway widened to four lanes in each direction (three in the less-trafficked portions near Ghweifat) and upgraded to meet world's best standards in highway design, safety, communications and services to users, according to a report of the UAE news agency "WAM". Once completed, the winning consortium will be responsible for maintaining and operating the upgraded highway while meeting stringent performance standards relating to safety, availability and quality for a period of 25 years.
