New Sharjah Corniche road to open on Sunday

The first part of the Sharjah Corniche (Al Bahr Road) will open for traffic on Sunday, June 3, said a press statement.

The road is currently under development by the Sharjah Public Works Department as part of the Heart of Sharjah project, which is currently under development by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) in collaboration with a number of government authorities and departments in Sharjah. The lane adjacent to the sea will open for traffic, from Ahmed bin Darwish Square to Al Muraijah Square. The road has been closed since end of last February.

Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Shurooq, announced that the road will open in one direction only until the construction work on the other lane completed.

Al Sarkal said the two-way street would open when construction work is completed by end of next July 2012.

Al Sarkal clarified that the development of Sharjah Corniche Street (Al Bahr) is one of the strategic projects that are being implemented to ease the flow of traffic in Sharjah. He added commuters might not feel improvement in traffic smoothness at the current time as the other direction of the road is still under construction. However, we made sure that retail shops footfall will not be affected during these constructions.

Al Sarkal praised the cooperation of various service departments who contributed to the successful completion of this stage of the project, particularly the Sharjah Public Works Department who are carrying out the development work and Sharjah Traffic for their support by removing obstacles and finding alternative paths to reduce traffic congestion. He, also, lauded the efforts made by Sharjah Police, Sharjah Municipality and Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA). Al Sarkal thanked road users for their cooperation and understanding during the traffic jam resulting from the construction work, which encourages us to exert our utmost efforts to achieve the project to the highest standards of quality. 

CEO of Shurooq said the project will serve its users and the Emirate’s residents and visitors by smoothing traffic and increasing road capacity, thus easing traffic congestion. The project will be a point of attraction in the Emirate and will help attract visitors and tourists as the area reflects the heritage and traditional architecture of the Sharjah, with its several souqs and archeological sites that show the UAE’s heritage and authenticity.

Al Sarkal noted that all parties – individuals and organizations – must collaborate in developing such important sites in the emirate. He said, “This road boasts strategic and historical importance and gives passage to hundreds of thousands of cars daily. This shows the importance of maintaining and developing it.” He added that the project includes landscaping, parking areas, and transport stations.

Omran Al Khumairi,  Director of Corporate Communications at the Sharjah Public Works Department, said that the infrastructure works that include sewer lines, telecommunication and electricity networks among others, have been completed. He added that,due to their complex nature, these works caused some delay at the start of the project, but such delay will not happen in the coming phases. “The countdown to completion has begun. The first phase, which is the most difficult one has been completed. Despite the intensive coordination with departments, the logistics involved are still complex, as we need to meet various requirements of the construction zone,” he clarified.

Al Khumairi added that the project is located in a vital area between the sea and the heritage district, and therefore has carried out with extreme care. He said sea water can hinder the work of supervising engineers. “The works are underway and we are trying to remove all obstacles. Success cannot be achieved without the cooperation of all parties,” he remarked. Al Khumairi praised the efforts exerted by Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), SEWA, the Sharjah Municipality and Sharjah Police.

The project is evidence of Shurooq’s eagerness to carry out the set plan and to progressively execute the Heart of Sharjah project, which was announced in 2010.

Heart of Sharjah is a five-phase, 15-year historical preservation and restoration project that aims to revitalize the heritage area in Sharjah. It is considered to be one of the region’s largest tourism and heritage projects. Construction work on the first phase has already commenced. Two committees were set up to supervise the project, the first is chaired by H.E. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of Shurooq, and comprised of representatives from the Ruler's Office, the Sharjah Art Foundation, the Sharjah Museums Department, and the Heritage Department. The second includes representatives of the Sharjah Municipality, the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, the Department of Public Works, and the Department of Planning and Survey, Sharjah Police and Sharjah Civil Defense.

The multi-phase project includes ongoing development works with the aim of reviving the historic and heritage areas, re-establishing the link that was there in the 1950’s and transforming Sharjah into a tourist and trade destination with modern contemporary artistic touches. The project includes museums, restaurants, cafes, retail outlets and other amenities to prepare the emirate to host high profile events such as the Sharjah Biennale and the Sharjah Heritage Days among many others.

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