Business & Money | Monday 30 January, 2017 12:50 pm |

Leading landscaping contractor Akar has successfully completed work at Al Wadi Park Project valued at Dh14 million in Dubai, UAE- positively contributing to the country’s ever-expanding portfolio of increasing ecological footprint. The project is a part of Dh1.3 billion comprehensive development plan for Hatta, launched in November last year by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance the social and economic capabilities of Hatta, and boost its attractiveness as a tourism destination, particularly as a first class eco-tourism destination in the region.

The Wadi-themed Park, which is situated near the Oman border i.e., a 120 km drive from Dubai, is now home to more than 900 trees, surreal waterbeds filled with rolling stones of varying sizes, dozens of barbecue pits with sheltered picnic tables, endless stretches of grassy lawns, 1000 metre jogging track, shaded pergolas, making it a great option for family holidays set in the tweeting birdlife backdrop of Hatta’s mountainous terrain.  Launched in Q4 of 2015, the 2.8 hectare site is all set to welcome visitors in March 2017, offering colourful, state-of-the-art play and climbing equipment suitable for children of all ages, a shaded parking lot with solar panels to increase power efficiency and an 820 metre gabion wall to protect against storm surges. 

Adnan Nalwala, executive director, Akar Technical Services Co, said: “The Al Wadi Park is an ambitious project that will enable us to showcase Akar's exceptional engineering expertise and help augment Dubai’s over-arching goal of boosting tourism, cultural heritage and attractiveness of Hatta as a destination. It is, in fact, an honour to be bestowed with the responsibility of bringing such a magnificent and culturally important project to life. We would like to thank all the consultants, the main contractor and our partners for their assistance in delivering the project in a timely manner and to the highest standards of quality, safety, and sustainability. Once the park opens, the hard-work and commitment of Akar’s workforce will certainly impress visitors, making it in all possibility a must-visit family recreational destination in Hatta."

In addition, Rajaram Subedi, Director of Landscaping, Akar, stated, “The Al Wadi Project complements our diversified portfolio of landmark developments across UAE and Oman. Despite the complex design, our integrated engineering solutions and dedication of our talented workforce helped in timely delivery of the project-taking into account every specification and goal of the client.  Moving forward, we are committed to contribute to UAE’s landmark development agenda, combining our landscaping and engineering expertise with a proven record of delivering timely and state-of-the-art construction and maintenance solutions.”