and about 37 per cent of the first three projects (of total four) have been completed, officials said on Wednesday, during a media tour to the work sites.

"The fourth project will be awarded soon and the construction will begin in the near future," the officials said.

The projects, to be completed by the end of 2010, will increase the capacity of Salam Street by 100 per cent, from 3,000 cars per hour to 6,000 with nonstop 'green drive' without the hassle of traffic signals. The senior officials term it as green drive as the straight road will minimise the air pollution by reducing the fuel consumption.

The first project, comprising 3.5 kilometre-long tunnel (with covered area of 2.3 kilometres), one of the longest tunnels in the region, has been 27 per cent completed, said Ahmad Saleh Bakhit Al Sayari, Section Head of Contracts and Quantity Surveying, Road Sector and Technical Services. The detours and excavation work for the Dh3.1 billion project (first) is in progress, he said. About seven temporary pedestrian bridges have been installed on Salam Street, which may remain permanently to support pedestrian movements, Al Sayari said.

The construction of two tunnels under project two, near Khalifa Park and close to Makhta Bridge, have been 45 per cent completed, said Mohammad Ahmad Al Katheeri, Project Manager. The structure of the two tunnels of 850 meters long each will be completed by February 2010 and will be operational by August 2010, he said.

About 800 people are working on the Dh817 million project from May 5, 2008, Al Katheeri added.

Project three, comprising two tunnels and a bridge, has been 40 per cent completed, said Yasir Al Ani, Resident Engineer of Parsons. "The first tunnel in the project, near the sea palace, is about 900-metres long”.

The second tunnel is about 850-metres long, which is located at the junction of Hazza Bin Zayed Street (Defence Street) and Salam Street. Construction of the bridge, connecting Hazza Bin Zayed Street and Al Reem Island, is also progressing, he said. More than 1000 workers and about 70 engineers are working extended hours in Dh800 million project, Al Ani said. "It will be completed by April 2010."
Relocating the electric, sewerage and water lines were the major challenge. "Draining the water during the excavation of tunnels was also a major task," said the officials.