Work on a four-star hotel and a Skylounge of restaurants is one of the several projects that have got under way at the Amwaj Islands project.

The first phase of the hotel project will have 300 rooms and will cost BD12 million ($31.9 million), said an official.
A contract for the designs will be awarded this month, said Saud Abdulaziz Kanoo, chairman of Ossis Property Developers, which is developing the project.
Out of 300 rooms to be constructed in the first phase, 150 will be on offer for sale. The total number of rooms will be increased to 1,000 in the second phase, said Kanoo.
One of the biggest attractions at the Amwaj complex will be a BD4 million Skylounge of restaurants. The design of the 2,500 sq m structure will be unique and will look as if it is suspended in mid air.
“We are currently on the stage of working drawings. Construction tenders are expected to be out in May. The Skylounge should be ready for opening in summer next year,” he said.
A $2 million mosque will also be constructed on Amwaj Islands. It will cover 4,000 sq m and will have its own bridge. It will accommodate 550 men and 250 women.
Work is expected to begin within four months and will be completed in 18 months.
“It will be constructed following the Fatimide style and will have Arab arches. There will be fountains and the mosque will be surrounded by water from all sides,” he said.
Ossis also awarded local firm Zohal Construction Company a BD1 million ($2.7 million) contract to install a water distribution network throughout the Amwaj islands project.
The scope of works due for completion in early September includes the supply, testing, installation and commissioning of all ductile iron mains, as well as polyethylene house connections and associated valves, fittings, thrust blocks, and fire hydrants.
A BD3 million ($7.98 million) contract was awarded to Alkomed Engineering Services Company for the building of the electricity infrastructure.
The project includes setting up the island’s 11 kV network, many sub-stations and a low voltage network to bring electricity to the houses, Kanoo said.
The first phase of the contract is expected to be completed in eight months with the remaining work to be finished in under 11 months.
The $1 billion Amwaj Islands is a beachfront property project linked to Muharraq Island by a single causeway and features a leisure community of seafront and marina villa plots, hotel plots, marina club and commercial building plots.
Amwaj is a man-made island covering an overall area of 2,798,064 sq m situated at the northeastern tip of Muharraq.
Among AAmwaj’s developments are theFloating City, with 215 waterfront villas/chalets, Tala Islands, which has about 550 apartments and over 70 beachfront villas and townhouses and Saraya Al Bahar with around 100 ready-made villas.
Ossis was established in 2000 with a capital of $69 million as the holding company of Amwaj Islands.