Heart of Sharjah project begins to make motorists' lives easier

Sharjah: Motorists will have easier access to Corniche Road heading into the city as authorities announced that the access road will be partially opened next Sunday.

"Once the road heading from the Radisson Hotel towards Sharjah city is open, which is adjacent to the sea, the Directorate of Public Works will then start road works in the opposite direction until the end of July," said Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Bin Darwish, head of Anjad patrol at Sharjah Police.

The work is currently supervised by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) as part of its Heart of Sharjah project, and was partially closed since February.

"This project is one of our most strategic ones that was implemented to ease the flow of traffic. Commuters might not feel a vast improvement in traffic in that area as it is still partially under construction, but for the time being we have ensured that nearby shops will not be affected," said Marwan Jassim Al Sarkal, chief executive of Shurooq.

Historical importance

"This road boasts strategic and historical importance and it gives access to hundreds of thousands of cars on a daily basis," he said, adding that the Heart of Sharjah project includes landscaping, parking areas and transport stations.

Omran Al Khumairi, Dir-ector of Corporate Communications at the Directorate of Public Works Department, said that the first phase of construction included incorporating infrastructure works, which includes new sewer lines, in addition to incorporating telecommunication and electricity. "The countdown to completion has begun and the first phase, which was 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 in the construction zone," he said.

Heart of Sharjah is a five-phase project that involves restoring and revitalising the heritage area, and is expected to become one of the region's largest tourism and heritage projects.

The multi-phase project includes re-establishing the link that was there in the 1950s and transforming Sharjah into a tourist and trade destination with modern contemporary artistic touches. The project includes upgrading and constructing museums, restaurants, cafes, retail outlets and other facilities to prepare the emirate to host high profile events, including the Sharjah Biennale and the Sharjah Heritage Days.

Marwan Jassem Al Serkal, CEO of the Sharjah Investment and Development (Shurooq), said that the development work will be completed and traffic flow will be back to normal in both directions by the end of July. This renovation project is planned to ease traffic congestion and facilitate traffic in the area, Al Serkal said.

Imran Al Khameiri, Director of Corporate Communications in the Department of Public Works, said the second phase will not take as long as the first phase, which took longer than anticipated because it included infrastructure works that included sewer lines, communication lines and electricity cables.