The Syrian General Establishment for Road Transport announced on Wednesday, September 15, that it had awarded a project to rehabilitate the road between al-Busayrah (Deir Ezzor governorate, eastern Syria) and al-Tanf (Homs countryside, southeastern Syria) to Qatar’s Al-mohannadi for Roads and Trading and Contracting (MRTC) for $150 million.

The establishment’s director general, Moaz Najjar, said the project covers the 170-kilometer al-Tanf to al-Busayrah road, in addition to a 45-kilometer connecting road, bringing the project’s total length to about 215 kilometers.

According to Najjar, the project includes rehabilitating the existing road, repairing areas affected by subsidence and damage, and completely repaving the road, as well as carrying out road-marking works and installing signs and other traffic safety requirements.

The project also includes building a new parallel route, allowing traffic to move in both directions and increasing the road’s capacity.

According to the establishment, the project aims to strengthen road infrastructure in Syria’s eastern region, improve traffic safety and transport flows, and support economic activity and transit traffic through Syria.

US$150 Million

Najjar said the project’s total cost is estimated at $150 million, with implementation expected to take approximately 800 days.

He said work would begin after bank guarantee procedures are completed, stressing the need to comply with the stipulated conditions, technical specifications and implementation schedule.

Najjar said road projects in the eastern region “have major economic and development importance because of their expected role in facilitating trade, transport and transit traffic, and connecting Syria with the Iraqi border, which could help stimulate trade, oil transport and transit toward Iraq and Gulf countries.”

He added that the Syrian government “has given the highest priority to road and infrastructure projects in the eastern region because of the development and strategic role these roads play in connecting the eastern regions with the Syrian interior and the Iraqi border.”

For his part, Abdullah al-Zatam, director general of MRTC, said the award of the al-Busayrah to al-Tanf road project “represents an important step in the contribution of Qatari companies to infrastructure development projects in Syria.”

Al-Zatam said the project includes rehabilitating the existing road and constructing a new 170-kilometer road, in addition to the 45-kilometer connecting road.

He said the company would implement the project “according to the highest quality standards while drawing on its expertise in the construction and implementation of road and infrastructure projects.”

About Al-Mohannadi

Al-Mohannadi for Roads and Trading and Contracting (MRTC) was established in Qatar in 2015 as a company operating in the roads and infrastructure sector.

The company operates in three countries and owns six subsidiaries. It is officially classified as a first-grade contracting company in the Qatari market.

Rehabilitation of Syrian Roads

The Syrian Ministry of Transport launched a package of projects to rehabilitate the country’s central road network, including invitations for local and international bids to carry out maintenance and development works on several major routes.

The projects are part of a plan aimed at improving transport infrastructure efficiency and traffic safety, and connecting governorates and border crossings through a road network that meets international technical standards.

The announcement was made during a press conference held by Syrian Transport Minister Yarub Badr and General Establishment for Road Transport Director General Moaz Najjar on June 28.

The first phase of the projects includes rehabilitating the international M45 corridor, extending from the Nasib crossing on the Jordanian border to the Bab al-Hawa crossing on the Turkish border, which is considered one of the country’s most important land routes.

The second category includes the Damascus, Palmyra, and Deir Ezzor corridor because of its development and strategic importance, according to the minister.

The corridor connects the capital with the eastern governorates and contributes to boosting economic activity, improving the transport of goods and people, and strengthening links between Syrian regions.

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