ABU DHABI General Services Company (Musanada) has won an Abu Dhabi government contract to manage the delivery of a residential development in South Shamkha, which is being built at a cost of more than Dh7 billion ($1.9 billion).

The project, which is the largest of its kind in the emirate, will be located 45 km from the city of Abu Dhabi and covers an area of almost 4,000 hectares. On completion, it will provide 12,460 plots for housing for around 130,000 Emiratis.

The South Shamkha project will include  shopping centres, health, educational, commercial and recreational facilities to serve an expected population of 200,000 people. The masterplan encompasses all aspects of a self-sufficient community including an extensive public transport system and a metro which will be connected to the capital.

Contracts worth more than Dh7 billion ($1.9 billion)  have been awarded to four companies, three of which are local – Saif Bin Darwish Construction, Tristar Engineering & Construction, and Ghantoot Transport & General Contracting Establishment. The fourth company is a joint venture between Beijing’s China State Construction Engineering Corporation and ARC Abu Dhabi Contracting.

Musanada’s building services department will work very closely with the contractors to oversee and assess progress over the four phases of development, which is expected to take three years.

The contractors will deliver a range of services including 402 km of road works, 430 km of sewerage network and 460 km of potable water network.

In addition, a complete power distribution system, 995 km of storm water drainage network with retaining ponds and a telecommunication network will be provided.