QALHAT HOUSING COMPLEX PROJECT

The Qalhat Housing Complex Project was conceived in 1998 when the Oman LNG’s liquefied natural gas project was under implementation. After extensive discussions both A'Sharqiya Investment Company and Oman LNG agreed that A'Sharqiya Investment Company shall develop a comprehensive state-of-the-art residential complex for the senior-most personnel of OLNG. The parties entered into a detailed understanding covering technical, commercial, safety and maintenance aspects of the project and concluded a long-term arrangement.

Land admeasuring about 1 million sq. m. for the project was acquired on fifty-year lease from the Public Enterprise for Industrial Estate (PEIE). SIHC promoted a wholly owned subsidiary company under the name Qalhat Real Estate Investments & Services LLC (QREIS) for the implementation of the project and the ownership of the Complex. The construction was done by a consortium of Bahwan Contracting Co. LLC and Galfar Engineering & Contracting Co. LLC based on select tendering and competitive bidding. Construction activities commended in September 2000 and the entire Complex was handed over to OLNG in April 2002. The Complex stands out as one of the most elaborate updated and comprehensive ones in the Sultanate of Oman.

The Complex consists of 130 villas, recreation centre, commercial centre, kindergarten, elementary school, sports hall, mosque and a maintenance block. There is abundant vacant land for future expansion. One of the major features of the project was the development of the infrastructure involving construction of roads, landscaping, site development, networking for utility connection and distribution from the public distribution sources and these efforts form a sizable portion of the project.

QREIS was awarded a one-year contract for maintenance of external facilities such as roads, utility systems, sewage treatment plant, garbage clearance and other related services. Since OLNG was quite pleased with the quality of maintenance, the contract has been renewed for a three-year period from April 2003. A'Sharqiya Investment Company has plans for more investment in similar projects.