Several construction firms have purchased documents for a tender covering the construction work on package four of the first phase of the Sultan Haitham City project to the west of Muscat.

Oman's Housing & Urban Planning Ministry (MHUP) has floated the tender on 22 April and the last date for bid submission is set as 10 June.

The package four covers the infrastructure work, including the construction of 8 kilometres (km) of primary roads, 7km of secondary roads, 31 culverts, 30km of bicycle and pedestrian tracks, as well as street lighting and other associated infrastructure.

Firms that have purchased the tender documents include:

• Alshafaq Constructions
• Abuhatim Company
• Al Adrak Trading & Contracting
• Arabian Projects & Transport Company
• Premier International Projects
• United Gulf Construction Company
• HA Construction
• Ali & Co Trading Contracting
• Oman Gulf Company
• Qurm Stone Development
• Strabag Oman
• Marmul Contracting & Trading
• Al Tasnim Enterprises
• Sarooj Construction Company
• Shanfari Partners
• Quick Logistics
• The Arab Contractors Osman Ahmed Osman & Co
• Mohamed Wahba & Partners
• Galfar Engineering & Contracting
• Anwaar Fahud For Trading

In February, MHUP signed contracts worth OMR1bn ($2.6bn) for the development of the first phase of its Sultan Haitham City project to the west of Muscat.

The first phase includes the development of a 5-square-kilometre city centre and six of the development’s 19 planned neighbourhoods.

It also includes a central park, the National Centre for Women's & Children’s Health, a hospital and buildings for Oman Medical Speciality Board.

The Higher Institute of Health Sciences and Oman Health College, as well as the College of Advanced Technology, a youth centre and a rehabilitation centre, are also part of this phase, along with government schools, a private school, a police station, a civil defence centre, the National Centre for Craft Industries and four health centres.

The first phase is set for completion by 2030.

According to a report by GlobalData, the output of Oman's construction sector is expected to register annual growth of 4.2% from 2025 to 2027, supported by investments in economic zones, renewable energy, manufacturing, and tourism projects under the Vision 2040 project.

The residential construction sector is expected to expand marginally by 0.6% this year, before registering an annual average growth rate of 3.1% between 2024 and 2027, supported by the development of public and private residential projects, which will be backed by the country's new housing market reforms.