Sultan lays foundation stone for Kalba Clock Tower Square

His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, on Saturday, laid the cornerstone of the Clock Tower Square in Kalba City. The Clock Tower Square is part of the development and tourism projects for public facilities and infrastructure in the region.

Upon arrival at the venue, the Ruler of Sharjah was briefed on the construction drilling operations that have been completed at the site, and learnt from Engineer Salah Bin Butti Al Muhairi, Adviser of Sharjah Department of Town Planning and Survey, about the engineering plans and maps for the square and the clock tower, emphasising the need for expediting work to provide all services for visitors to the area.

On completion, the Clock Tower Square will be one of the distinctive features of the city. The development operations include expanding the square and modifying its diameter to 104 metres, and establishing a clock tower at a height of 42 metres on an area of 668 square metres, with a clock in the middle top of the tower fixed in a manner that allows it to be  seen from all corners of the city.

The tower will also include a number of facilities and safe transit corridors that are commensurate with all the needs of different groups of the society, and a special tunnel leading to the clock tower, in addition to a lift to provide safe and secure access to the different floors of the tower.

In the centre of the square, a twelve-nozzle fountain will be established representing the hour hand of the clock, while the other small nozzles represent the minute hand. The clock is a unique and distinctive feature to be added to the square, which will also contain 4 additional nozzles parallel to Al Wahda Street.

Two additional balconies of different heights will also be established to allow visitors to the tower to see the stunning natural landscapes and landmark views surrounding the square, which will be surrounded by 2,100 square-metre green areas, in addition to parking spaces along the Corniche Street to serve visitors.

During his visit, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah was also briefed on the development work on Al Wahda Street, which connects the road from the Square and Clock Tower to Kalba Corniche Street.

The project includes developing the road with a length of 4,200 metres, where engineering work will be carried out for a double-lane in each direction, with a service road and side parking for cars, in order to raise the level of safety and facilitate the traffic movement of vehicles from both directions.

The project also includes raising the capacity of the Clock Tower Square street to three lanes to facilitate the movement of visitors and road users to the tower, in addition to adding a service road and side parking lots to facilitate access to public service facilities.

Sheikh Sultan was acquainted with the construction operations to be implemented for the Al Wahda Street development project, with all additional facilities such as road lighting, road safety procedures for pedestrians and passers-by, and other facilities.

The inauguration was attended by Sheikh Saeed Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Deputy Chief of Sharjah Ruler’s Office in Khorfakkan; Sheikh Haitham Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Deputy Head of the Ruler’s Office in Kalba, and a number of senior officials and dignitaries.

His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi inaugurated on Friday afternoon the Kalba Beach Corniche, a key developmental project aimed to increase the efficiency of the emirate’s public infrastructure for the residents, visitors and beachgoers.

Unveiling the curtain while cutting the traditional ribbon to mark the opening of the project, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, against the backdrop of folkloric artistic performances rendered by the Sharjah National Troupe, toured the 9.5 km-long Corniche, which offers a variety of attractive facilities and services.

The Corniche is supplemented with many various services, including a 7.6 km-long and 4-metre wide rubber running track, shaded sea-facing seats and pedestrian crossing, in addition to 50-cm thick clean and white sand amounting to 95,000 cubic metres.

The Corniche is also decorated with more than 1,500 trees planted along the beach to match its picturesque nature and provide an additional picnicking space for visitors.