ARADA awards infrastructure design contract for $6.5bn project Aljada

Sharjah-based developer ARADA has awarded the infrastructure design contract for its $6.5bn Aljada project to professional services firm Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.

The contract forms part of the overall $327m infrastructure package for Aljada, which will see Jacobs managing all aspects of infrastructure delivery for the project including roads, water, power and drainage, ensuring full integration with the overall masterplan.

HE Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, chairman of ARADA, said: “This is a significant milestone for Aljada, as we continue to work towards breaking ground on this megaproject by the end of the first quarter. We are pleased to be partnering with Jacobs, a company with an excellent track record in delivering world-class projects around the world.” 

Neil Stevens, project director with Jacobs, said: “We are extremely happy to be working closely with ARADA on the development of Aljada, a landmark project both for Sharjah and the UAE. We are looking forward to bringing our expertise and skills to this inspiring project and help deliver innovative, yet sustainable infrastructure, for this exciting development.”

Aljada is Sharjah’s largest ever mixed-use project, and was unveiled by HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, during an exclusive ceremony in September last year.

Read: UAE’s Arada announces $6.5bn real estate project in Sharjah

In early January, ARADA secured a Dhs1bn ($272m) Islamic financing facility with two majorUAE banks – Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Dubai Islamic Bank – to help fund the development of Aljada.

The development will include a range of residential and commercial offerings, and will be delivered in phases starting in 2019. Construction is expected to start in the first quarter of 2018, and the entire project is scheduled to be completed by 2025.