Sharjah has announced a series of projects to construct and develop internal and main roads linking the emirates of Sharjah and Dubai at a cost of AED750 million ($204.22 million).

HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, said the Al Taawun Roundabout Monument, which was recently removed to facilitate the construction of a new tunnel for easing traffic movement between the two emirates, will be reinstated once the project gets completed, said a WAM news agency report.

Sheikh Dr Sultan also stated that Noor Road, extending from Al Orooba Street and leading into Dubai, will be inaugurated by the year-end.

The Ruler of Sharjah said: “The Al Taawun Roundabout Monument holds strong sentimental value for residents. However, necessity dictated its temporary removal until the completion of important development projects. Al Taawun Road is important because it leads to Dubai.

“Therefore, it became necessary either to construct an elevated bridge over the monument or find another solution,” he stated.

 “We planned to construct an underground tunnel comprising a dual carriageway extending to Dubai up to Al Nahda Bridge. However, the presence of the monument presented a challenge. We brought in the designer and engineers to inspect the site and its foundations. They found that the foundations were firmly fixed in the ground and difficult to remove,” he stated.

“Specialists indicated that it would be possible to design the road and return the monument to its original location after the project is completed,” he added.