Kuwait’s Combined Group Contracting Company (CGC) has begun moving machinery and equipment into Syria in preparation for rehabilitation work on the Damascus-Nassib highway, a project aimed at improving road safety and facilitating transport and trade.
The value of the maintenance and rehabilitation contract was reduced by $2 million to about $46.8 million, while the 400-day implementation period remains unchanged.
The project includes the rehabilitation of about 100 kilometers of the international highway linking Damascus with the Jordanian border.
Contract Details
According to a supplementary disclosure submitted by the group through its official website on Sept. 1, the value of the contract awarded to Combined Group Contracting Company (K.S.C.) was reduced from $48,791,756 to $46,791,756.
The group said the contract’s current value after the reduction is equivalent to approximately 14,462,035 Kuwaiti dinars, confirming that the implementation period remains unchanged at 400 days.
The General Establishment for Road Transport at Syria’s Ministry of Transport had previously announced on Aug. 27 that implementation procedures had begun for the maintenance and rehabilitation project on the Damascus-Nassib highway.
Transport Authority: Road Safety and Traffic Flow
An Enab Baladi correspondent reported that machinery belonging to the Kuwaiti group began entering Syria through the Nassib border crossing (Daraa, southern Syria) on Thursday, Sept. 3 , in preparation for maintenance work on the Daraa-Damascus international highway.
In its latest statement published through its official channels, the General Establishment for Road Transport at the Syrian Ministry of Transport did not disclose details of the value of the contract awarded to Kuwait’s CGC and did not specify which company within the group would carry out the contract.
It said the contract aims to:
- Improve the condition of the road.
- Enhance road safety.
- Improve traffic flow and reduce accidents.
According to the establishment, the project is part of the ministry’s plan to rehabilitate the M45 international highway, one of Syria’s most important strategic land transport corridors.
The road was divided into several sections and offered through tenders to accelerate rehabilitation work, the establishment said. The Damascus-Nassib section is among the most prominent projects targeted because of its importance to transport, trade and road connectivity with Jordan.
Rehabilitation of 100 Kilometers and Four Traffic Lanes
Moaz Najjar, director general of the General Establishment for Road Transport, said the project includes rehabilitating a section about 100 kilometers long, consisting of four traffic lanes, with an implementation period of 400 days under the specified timetable.
The work will be carried out according to technical specifications suited to current requirements and will include:
- Milling asphalt layers at varying depths.
- Laying new asphalt layers.
- Repairing the most heavily damaged sections according to technical needs.
- Cleaning the central median, applying road markings, installing roadside delineators, warning and directional signs, and establishing lighting.
Najjar said the implementing company had begun shipping machinery and equipment allocated to the project in preparation for rehabilitation work in the near future, while also securing the technical personnel and machinery required for implementation.
Heavy loads and the absence of necessary maintenance work on the road for many years have caused damage to its structural foundation.
Najjar said rehabilitating the road and improving safety would have a direct impact on truck traffic and commercial exchange, help reduce the cost of transporting goods, and strengthen market activity and the economy.
Kuwaiti Group Representative: Equipment Secured
For his part, Jibril Jaber, a representative of Kuwait’s Combined Group Contracting Company, confirmed the company’s commitment to the contract requirements and approved technical specifications. He said the company had begun securing the equipment and machinery needed to carry out the work, along with specialized personnel, in line with the project’s different stages.
Jaber said the most heavily damaged locations would be treated according to the nature of the contract, technical needs and specified standards. He added that the company would comply with safety and quality standards and organize traffic within work zones to ensure that vehicles could continue moving throughout the implementation period.
According to the General Establishment for Road Transport, the group carried out surveying and assessment work in both directions of the Damascus-Nassib international highway last April, using laser technology and high-resolution cameras to produce three-dimensional models of the road surface and accurately identify different defects and damage, supporting the preparation and implementation of rehabilitation work according to technical needs.
The Damascus-Nassib highway is a key part of the M45 international highway and one of Syria’s most important land transport arteries. It plays a role in connecting the capital with the Jordanian border, supporting transit traffic and facilitating the movement of goods and passengers, strengthening the position of Syria’s road network as a transport and trade corridor at the Arab and regional levels.