Page 60 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (IV)_Neat

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Roads.—Road work was continued energetically throughout the year. Unfortunately the 9-
ton Huber road roller broke down in Safar and being of United States manufacture there was a long
delay in getting the necessary spare parts. These arrived shortly before the close of the year but the
roller was still not in use when the year ended. This mishap left the department with only the small
4-ton roller available and therefore far less work was possible than had been hoped.
The re-surfacing of the causeway with road metal and cold-patch started late in 1366, was
completed. The parapets of the causeway were re-rendered.
The section of the Jufair Road at the corner by the W.T. station was metalled and a further
portion laid with cold patch.
Work of metalling the Awali Road was started in Rajab and by the end of the year just over
half of the distance between Manama and Radm al Kawari bridge has been completed. The carriage
way was reduced to 30 feet thus leaving wide verges which, it is hoped, will be used by donkey traffic.
The lack of the heavy roller was severely felt on this work, but a fair job was made with the small roller
and the surface is now non-skid.

A large number of bridges in the secondary sand roads through the date gardens were rebuilt.
The Budeya road was twice graded and the steep approaches to several bridges on the eastern
half of this road were made up as were some of the low lying portions of the road itself. It was not
possible to carry out any surfacing of this road and the surface remains very bad.
Two features new to Bahrain were introduced. The Ras Ruman Road to the causeway was
found to be the scene of many accidents, so fences were built each side leaving small footways, and
two crossing places were left unfenced and " road islands ” built in the middle of the road. This was
done in Safar and the number of accidents has greatly decreased.
The other new feature was the putting down of “ road reflectors " on certain corners and bad
bends of the main roads. These proved a great help to traffic at night.
Main Water Supply.
Good progress was made during the year. Mr. C. H. Partridge, local agent of Messrs. Holloway
Bros., Ltd., reports as follows:—
cutting started^rim s]I9-47whe ^ SUpplies o{ P*!* were received and pipe-laying and rock
to the workand oiDe'la ^ ^ % the folIowinS —th the pipe fitters had got used
the first consienm^f f1^ proceedin6 at the rate of 15.000 feet a month. By 8th January
SS k ST had bCen ,aid- Fortunatcly water tower was received ir.
foundations were in V ** ^ °f ^ m0nth thC CranC had bcen erected- The water tower
was finished lahn * Sfart had made with the pump house walls. When pipe-laying
trenches to keen th WaS.SWllched to the Municipal Gardens except for a small gang opening up
work had comm T ^ By the Cnd of JanuarV the water tower was complete,
work had commenced on tank erection and the pump-house roof had been cast.
pumps, the tank was completec^ d°'h* ^n*sbed ^ *ar ^ was possible to go without the
painting. In mid-Februarv a ' ^ ° bousinS had progressed as far as possible without
pipe-laying proceeded at a rate wTr COnsignrnent of PiPes arrived and in March and April
times and flooded trenches n * ^XCCSS °f 15,000 fcet P61- month, in spite of heavy rain at
and in April the tank was fii-ct fin^ * ^ W3ter tower was connected to the town mains
air-tested but from this t;™, < * ,USlng a trader Pump. Previous to this all pipe-lines were
-One of th ^ P0$SibIe t0 tCSt jUSt ^ tUmine °n a V^Ve‘
Paint for
the water tower was also rec'^v^5 'u S rCCeived in April and the other two in May.
pump-house pipework was , By the end of June thc pumps were in position, the
able amount of painting hi if* ° ° housing to thc tank was complete and a consider-
manifold bolted unand 60 d°ne’ *n ^uly thc crane was dismantled, the suction
P 01k commenced on clearing up in the gardens.