Four Saudi and international companies were awarded SR3.33 billion contracts Wednesday to implement permanent flood and rainwater drainage projects in Jeddah. Announcing the award of the contracts here, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah region, stressed that King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has always supported benevolent initiatives and bright ideas. Ahmad Al-Sulaim, director of the drainage department at Jeddah Municipality, said a permanent solution for the rain and flood water drainage problem in Jeddah consists of eight projects including construction of five dams and the expansion of the existing storm water canals in northern, southern and eastern Jeddah besides construction of a new canal adjacent to King Abdulaziz International Airport. He said the contract for the construction of Wadi Qiyah, Wadi Umm Hablain, Wadi Daghbaj and Wadi Braiman dams has been awarded to NESMA & Partners Company at a total cost of SR803 million. The company has also been awarded construction of Wadi Ghulail Dam and rehabilitation of the course of the southern floodwater canal at a value of SR372 million. Tashina Communications Construction Company of China was awarded a SR143 million contract for the rehabilitation of the northern flood canal course. The contract for the construction of the new airport storm water canal has been awarded to Saudi Arabian Sanmbir and GT Company Ltd. of Italy at a total cost of SR1.31 billion and another contract has been awarded to TransArabia for Trading, Industry and Contracting (SEBC) at a total cost of SR751 million. Thirteen local and international companies were vying for contracts to implement the projects, which include construction of six dams, expansion of existing rainwater drainage canals, and construction of a new canal. The Jeddah Municipality had invited bids from the qualified local and international contractors for the projects on Jan. 4. Al-Sulaim said all bids were subjected to an in-depth evaluation by a committee of experts. Earlier, Prince Khaled opened 14 ad hoc projects, referred to by the municipality as “quick-solution projects” in east Jeddah for the quick drainage of rainwater. The municipality completed the projects within a record time of 110 days. The Emir said at the time that work on permanent flood solutions would start in the first quarter of 2012. Jeddah was hit by torrential rains and devastating floods in November 2009 and in January 2011 that killed more than 130 people in total and destroyed thousands of homes and cars.
