Aldar Properties has extended the dredging contract for its Al Raha Beach development from an initial 10 million cu m to 25 million cu m.

The additional work will increase the project cost by Dh340 million ($92.6 million) according to the project’s developers.
The dredging and reclamation contract for Al Raha Beach was awarded to Dredging International of Holland last year (January 2006) and work commenced in March.
“We are pleased with the progress Dredging International has made in the past seven months and the project is well ahead of schedule,” said Aldar project director Michael Cox. “We are confident that this additional work will be completed within the agreed timelines.”
The contract includes work for a number of Al Raha Beach Communities including Khor Al Raha, Al Bandar, Al Seef and Al Wateed at the eastern end of the development. Throughout the western section there will be capping of soft soils, with bulk filling for the Al Rumaila precinct. The contract is being supervised by Maunsell Consultancy Services, the designer of the project’s overall infrastructure.
Dredging will continue on the Al Raha Beach site for another 14 months with the eastern areas of the development reclaimed by July and the western precincts being completed by December 2007.
Meanwhile, Aldar Properties has entered into a joint venture with Laing O’Rourke, to deliver the various components within the Al Raha Beach projects.
The first project for the joint venture, to be known as Aldar Laing O’Rourke JV, will be the construction of residential and commercial property at Al Raha Beach.