ISMAILIA, Aug 19 (Aswat Masriya) – International consultancy firm Dar al-Handasah is the winner of a bid to plan the new development mega project in the Suez Canal region.

Mohab Memish, head of the Suez Canal Authority, announced Dar al-Handasah as the bid winner during a conference in the canal governorate of Ismailia on Tuesday. 

On August 5, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi launched a mega project which entails digging a 72-km (45-mile) bifurcation to the Suez Canal as well as developing the Suez Canal region. Digging the bifurcation is expected to cost $4 billion.

The project is implemented under the supervision of the armed forces. While launching the project, Sisi said digging the new bifurcation to the canal would be completed within a year, instead of a previous deadline of three years.

Dar al-Handasah is a leading international consultancy firm with five design centres in Beirut, Cairo, London, Pune and Amman. 

An overall of 14 coalitions were short-listed for planning the mega project.