Iraq defies economic difficulties to raise the pace of construction projects

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First Published: 2015-03-03

 

Iraq defies economic difficulties to raise the pace of construction projects

 

Authorities to speed up the steps to complete the project the city of New Basmajh aimed to absorb half a million within four years.

 

Middle East Online

 

BAGHDAD - from Dominic Evans

 

Securing 100 thousand housing units

On a main road in the direction of stretching south of Baghdad, dozens of buildings rising from the plains of Iraq to represent the first elements of a new city with investments of billions of dollars in land accustomed to war and crises on development, including in respect of the promises of glamorous.

It seems any building project Iraq tried his decades midget alongside new Basmajh City project, which aims to accommodate half a million people within four years.

Above the cranes over a limited number of residential buildings completed construction as the movement of tens of thousands of bus workers across the site, which covers an area of ​​18 square kilometers and produce huge compound walls and columns, prefabricated concrete.

It is planned to build 100 thousand units in this piece of arid land, which lies about 20 kilometers from the Iraqi capital, which suffered war damage and became severe congestion after it had been a source of pride for the Iraqis.

Stresses continue to build project until after the Iraqi authorities lost large tracts of land in favor of hard-line Islamists and billions of oil income as a result of lower prices over the ambitious project and the size of the obstacles to be overcome.

The company aims South Hanwha Engineering and Construction Korean that have signed a contract worth eight billion dollars to build the city Basmajh to deliver the first batch of housing units during the next summer.

However, they were forced to adapt to the unique challenge of working in Iraq and changed its mind supply lines after the attack by the organization of the Islamic state last June and led to the halt of cement shipments.

They also had to face the problem of the departure of foreign workers when state regulation provides a short distance from the capital. The decline raised doubts Iraqi oil revenues in the government's ability to provide basic services, including water supply for the new site.

Inside the new city, guarded by a private security force in addition to the limits with armed military forces Sangeso Kim, vice president of Hanwha Corporation said that the project is behind schedule by six months. The plan is to complete the project in 2019.

And he said, standing in front of the first group of unfinished apartments "We are trying to catch up with what we missed in the schedule is that if the situation did not improve and the circumstances it would be imperative that the delay is happening for a while."

Iraq lost years

Two do not differ on the urgent need for reconstruction in Iraq.

In the wake of the invasion of the international coalition forces, the US-led Iraq in 2003, the international sanctions imposed on Iraq because of Saddam Hussein's forces invaded Kuwait in 1990. However, the increased sectarian war raging hindered economic recovery.

In the capital, the concrete used in the establishment of protective barriers of the bombings, more than were used in the construction of housing units in a tangible proof of the inhabitants of the capital's seven million people on the lost years that have passed on Baghdad.

The head of the National Investment Commission, which leads the construction of housing units "in the past thirty years has not let us build a lot Initiative Sami Araji."

He added that Iraq needs three million new housing units in the next ten years, the Commission has prepared plans for the establishment of two other cities in southern Baghdad and outside the city of Basra.

And filled Araji's office in the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad publications on coated paper and geometric designs and architecture of the new cities, which includes hospitals and a role for the cinema and swimming pool Olympian and houses overlooking the water bodies and building high-rise also in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar.

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And complain about companies and business of large-scale corruption and crippling bureaucracy along with her complaint of conflict.

Araji said, "We were and still economical directed central guidance. We are moving strongly towards the market economy, but the very culture of investment in the new Iraq."

Nuclear fears

The body is headed by trying to compensate for lost years Araji, which seeks to attract foreign investment in the electricity to address the deficit in the supply of 12 thousand megawatts in addition to oil refineries and sectors of transport, communications and health.

In the construction sector body and local institutions working in the provinces to provide between $ 400 thousand and 450 thousand units.

To ensure the success of the project Basmajh largest of the three projects, the person making the apartments offered the equivalent of $ 6,300 represents only ten percent of the total price for the smallest spaces raised and 100 square meters to be paid the remaining 20 years.

And less than the monthly minimum wage for government to make them accessible to many installments. And apartments in Baghdad are more expensive and have to be on the buyers usually pay the entire price at once.

Even in this case, and despite the heavy promotion of the project on the TV screen potential buyers must overcome another concern.

For six kilometers away to the west lies the ruins of Iraq's Osirak nuclear bombed by Israeli warplanes in 1981. The reactor is believed by some Iraqis that the land surrounding the location of the reactor is contaminated.

In Basmajh where he works about eight thousand workers several months ago workers make fun of these concerns, but they point to other disadvantages threaten the project.

Although the first batch of apartments ready to be delivered to their owners by the summer workers say it is not connected to the water supply and purification unit precludes accommodation in apartments in the moment.

Faces two other projects in Baghdad and Basra, where he is scheduled to build 70 thousand housing units similar obstacles. Officials say that is not even agreement on land use project in Baghdad, although a large part of which is still a military base.

Araji said "a lot of work has been accomplished. But the actual implementation on the ground will take about eight years."

 

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