Jabarah bin Eid Al Surari, Saudi Transport Minister, has confirmed that the road linking Oman with Saudi Arabia would be completed at the end of this year, according to the Ekath daily newspaper.
He informed that his ministry was working to complete the remaining 519-kilometre stretch of road linking Oman through the Al Batha border in the Ehsa governorate.
"The new road linking two states will cut across 800 kilometers; by comparison, the current road via the United Arab Emirates is estimated to be 2,000 kilometers long," stated Al Surari. The new road will boost trade and tourism between the two GCC neighbors and will ensure the quick delivery of products.
It may be recalled that the Omani section of the road has been ready for some time, but the Saudi section of the road has been delayed as a result of the soft soil in the area and the associated incremental project costs. The road passes through the Empty Quarter, one of the largest sand deserts in the world.
Times of Oman
4 July
