While a majority of the roads, particularly the roads of the interior regions, suffer from deplorable conditions due to their severe wear and tear and lack of maintenance contracts, officials in the Ministry of Public Works are trying to find urgent solutions, until the completion of procedures to obtain the approval of the regulatory authorities to float tenders through the Central Agency for Public Tenders.
Informed sources in the ministry told Al-Rai that the ministry “has requested a legal opinion from the Fatwa and Legislation Department regarding contracting with competent local, Arab and international companies to carry out maintenance work for some roads that suffer from severe wear, by signing contracts with them by direct order.”
The sources added, “The ministry is keen to complete maintenance operations as quickly as possible and the Fatwa Department has been contacted to know its opinion regarding the possibility of signing contracts with some companies that are able to carry out the necessary maintenance work, with the aim of shortening the time factor by cutting off the documentary cycle, compared to contracts that are offered through the Central Tenders Committee.
The sources explained “if the fatwa approves the request, the Ministry of Works will prepare documents for the road maintenance projects in preparation for assigning repair work to companies that are able to implement it in the required manner.”