Manama: Bahrain is bracing for a rush of Gulf nationals, mainly through the King Fahad Causeway, to celebrate Eid.
The three-day feast that marks the end of Ramadan, the month during which adult Muslims abstain from drinking and eating from sunrise until sunset, is expected to start on Sunday based on predictions by astronomers.
The official announcement will however be made on Friday evening after a moon-sighting panel convenes to hear witnesses.
Bahrain celebrates the Eid with great fanfare and thousands of Gulf citizens, mainly from neighbouring Saudi Arabia, have been regularly taking part in the festivities.
Traffic authorities have said that they have put out special arrangements to boost safety on the roads.
Bahrain is linked to Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world through the 25km causeway opened in November 1986.
The impressive structure has been since used by thousands of vehicles daily to transport people and goods, making it one of the busiest traffic areas in the Arab world.
On Wednesday, a Bahraini official said that more than 155,000 people used the causeway during the August 9-15 period.
“Our records show that 156,622 Gulf nationals entered Bahrain during the week,” the official said. “We had 129,323 coming in through the King Fahad Causeway, 27,084 through the airport and 215 through the port,” the official said.
However, the figures for the Eid weekend are expected to be much higher, particularly that Qatar has given its public sector employees a 12-day break to celebrate Eid.
Several Qataris are married to Bahrainis and the two sides often exchange visits through overland travel.
Manama and Doha have talked about constructing a 41km causeway to link the two countries, but work has yet to start on the massive project.
The planned causeway is expected to include a railway for a train that would be part of a pan-Gulf network.
Bahrainis who use the causeway to go to Saudi Arabia and Dubai are often driven by shopping motives, while Saudi families who make the trip to Bahrain are often keen on watching movies in the local theatres.
Bahrainis who work in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province and Saudis who have jobs in Bahrain are also regular users of the terrestrial link.
