Ranking First in World Bank Connectivity Index, Saudi Roads Are Ready to Receive Pilgrims

The Roads General Authority announced the readiness of the entire road network to receive pilgrims, following the implementation of a package of safety and maintenance works that ensure the readiness of the road network leading to the holy sites.

The transportation and logistics ecosystem has been working diligently over the past months to survey all roads leading to the holy sites from 11 border crossings. Additionally, it conducted maintenance on over 7,000 kilometers (km) of roads using the latest technologies related to maintenance, surveying, and assessment.

The transportation ecosystem has been working on implementing numerous projects to ensure the safety of the pilgrims. This includes removing over 40,000 cubic meters of sand dunes from the road area and repairing expansion joints with a total length of 124,000 linear meters. Furthermore, it has worked on erecting concrete and metal barriers along a length of 9,000 km. Additionally, approximately 600 km of road surfaces leading to the holy sites have been painted. The ecosystem has installed more than 2,400 directional and warning signs, in addition to paving 5,000 km of dirt roads. It also has provided over 300 road monitors, as well as numerous field teams and emergency-response teams stationed along the road network, operating 24 hours a day. All these efforts aim to provide the best services for the pilgrims.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia possesses a vast road network, which is globally recognized as the first in terms of road connectivity, according to the World Bank. This network plays a crucial role in enhancing the connectivity of the holy sites, serving the pilgrims, and facilitating their movement to and from the holy sites.