Unique Trans-Desert Highway linking Saudi Arabia, Oman, Inaugurated

An unprecedented uniquely highway linking the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman, across the Rub Al-Khali desert, literally the uninhabited Empty Quarter, with a distance of 564 kilometers from Al-Bat’ha crossing, in the Kingdom, wading directly into the Empty Quarter up to an outlet on the Saudi-Oman border, was opened, at a cost of SR1.975 billion.

This project, linking the two countries, is considered an engineering marvel, as it wade across an ocean lot of sands of the desert, and was implemented by the Ministry of Transport and Logistics.

That is true, given the difficult terrain and harsh climate, in the Empty Quarter.

However, the highway will facilitate the movement of pilgrims and tourists, as well as the inter-trade traffic, between the two countries..

Stressing the keenness of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on contributing to strengthening cooperation with the brotherly Arab countries, Minister of Transport and Logistics, Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser, pointed to the broad prospects that this highway, would open to enhance trade exchange between the Kingdom and the Sultanate of Oman, and activate the movement, in general, between the two countries to serve those coming for Hajj and Umrah from the Sultanate of Oman, and the movement of tourism, mutual trade and visits between the two countries, noting that a memorandum of understanding recently co-signed between the Saudi Ministry of Transport and Logistics and the Omani Ministry of Transport,

communications and information technology ,last November will have a significant impact on raising the efficiency and sustainability of operating the highway, in addition to enhancing safety levels on it, in accordance with the highest international class recognized standards.

The overall toll of working hours on the project amounted to more than 1.3 million, while the tally of heavy-weight equipment used to realize the feat, stood at 750, suitable for the geography of the desert located in the Empty Quarter.

As much as 12 million cubic meters were the quantity of the removed sands, and the volume of the asphalt layers amounted to one million cubic meters.

The highway was also provided with all means of traffic safety, including lighting the last 30 km section, to facilitate the movement of road commuters with ease and safety.

It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, by completing the highway project linking the Kingdom and the Sultanate of Oman, has completed the direct link with all the countries of neighboring Gulf Cooperation Council member states, in a high level of quality and safety. This linkage will also contribute to achieving the objectives of the national strategy for transport and logistics, which aims to consolidate the Kingdom’s position as a global logistics center, and the Kingdom’s access to be among the top 10 countries in the world, in the logistic performance index.

 The project will contribute to improving the local, regional and international connectivity of trade and transport networks, in addition to its contribution to enabling the achievement of the objectives of a number of national sectors, such as the Hajj and Umrah sector or the tourism sector, in general and the newly dubbed religious tourism, in particular.

By facilitating the movement of passengers and goods, this historical trans-desert highway is expected to contribute to increasing the volume of trade exchange between the two countries, which has exceeded SR10 billion in 2020.