Plans to develop a BD12 million ($31.8 million) labourer township has been unveiled by a Bahrain real estate company.

If approved by the government it will provide safe, respectable living conditions for around 6,000 expatriate workers.
The project is the brainchild of Al Enma’a House for Real Estate, which hopes to make it the country’s first model labour camp.
An initial plan for the project has already been presented to the Industry and Commerce Ministry, said the company’s chief finance officer Krishnan Iyer.
“We are asking the ministry to grant us, on long lease, 67,000 sq m of land in the new industrial park area in Hidd for developing a self-contained township,” he explained. “If approved, it will lead to the construction of the first major residential development in Bahrain aimed at expatriate labourers.”
Iyer said the proposed complex includes air-conditioned rooms that accommodate up to four workers.
“Our goal is to ensure the workers’ basic needs such as good shelter, access to affordable food and a safe community,” he added.
“We hope to create a township like atmosphere that includes basic needs, plus recreational and entertainment facilities.
“Additional services such as banks (ATM machines), a supermarket and medical centre would also be provided.”
The idea is to rent out accommodation at the camp to companies that employ a large number of expatriate workers.
“We will effectively manage the township through an administration office operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Iyer.