Muscat: Majlis Ash'shura on Thursday hosted Eng Said bin Hamoud al Maawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, who outlined policies, plans and programmes in transport and infrastructure.
The minister discussed the policies, plans and programmes within the context of the 10th Five-Year Plan and measures to activate it in line with Oman Vision 2040, the Development Budget 2023 and strategic approaches to the communications and information technology sector.
In his speech, Al Maawali said that the ministry is supervising vital sectors including transport, communications and information technology that will have a prominent role in achieving the goals of Oman Vision 2040.
Emphasis is laid on the priorities of the current stage of the vision, the establishment of an empowering infrastructure that is capable of keeping pace with developments and modifications, he explained.
The minister added that the ministry is embarked on drafting a number of regulatory and legislative frameworks for the governance of its activities, besides improving the satisfaction of those benefiting from its services.
He pointed out that the ministry gave directives to implement a number of strategic road projects during the current five-year plan. These include the addition of third and fourth lanes to the Rusayl-Bidbid road (Part 1), of which 60 per cent was completed in 2022. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023, said Al Maawali.
The minister said work is progressing in the remaining parts of Adam-Thamrait dual-carriageway (a 400-km stretch).
He said that the ministry monitored the implementation of projects that were suspended over the past few years due to contractors’ inability to complete the projects. The works were later floated, assigned and accomplished during the current five-year plan.
These include the final part of Al Sharqiyah Expressway and Al Abela-Al Fayyad road, the remaining tasks of Al Batinah Expressway, a project to raise the efficiency of Sinaw-Mahout-Duqm road and another to complete the remaining part of Adam-Haima road, said the minister.
The ministry is finalising contractual procedures for another set of projects, which include the designing and implementation of Daba-Khasab road with Lima link, the designing and implementation of the remaining parts of the Al Batinah Coastal Road (Phase 1), Barka link and Al Suwaiq link, said the minister.
He added that the ministry awarded a project for designing the dual-carriageway between the Wilayat of Al Kamil W’al Wafi and the Wilayat of Jaalan Bani Bu Ali.
The minister said the ministry is preparing executive plans for new projects that were approved recently.
These include dualisation of the Farq-Hai Al Turath-Izki road, dualisation of Raysut-Al Mughsayl road and Seeh Al Khayrat-Shasr road, dualisation of roads leading to the Empty Quarter or Rub Al Khali border crossing (Phase 1), in addition to floating consultancy studies for paving Shahab-Asaib-Rakhyout road.
Al Maawali explained that the ministry took steps to finalise the awarding of periodic maintenance contracts for the implementation of networks of asphalt and dust roads in most governorates of Oman for a period of 5 years to the tune of more than RO 53 million.
The minister said 80 per cent of road restoration works, in the aftermath of the climatic condition (Shaheen cyclone), were complete.
Meanwhile, the ministry signed a memorandum of understanding with an international company to complete economic and financial studies for the construction of the Masirah bridge and dam, said the minister.
He added that discussions are underway to explore the extent to which the private sector is keen to invest in the construction of Thamrait-Salalah truck road and other projects.
Al Maawali pointed out that the ministry is currently focusing on investments in road networks in Oman, particularly those linking sea ports with airports, as well as the activation of the logistics sector.
The ministry is joining hands with offices of governors to re-distribute part of the road network (dust roads and asphalt roads) to enable the governors to exercise their role in running the governorates in a more effective manner, said the minister.
He stressed that the ministry is preparing to issue a law on roads that grants administrative powers to the authorities supervising roads. This is in addition to updating the regulation on protecting roads that was issued under Ministerial Decision No 155/2017.
Al Maawali also affirmed that the ministry is embarked on introducing integrated solutions to ensure smooth flow of traffic. — ONA
POINTS
1. Work to add third and fourth lanes to the Rusayl-Bidbid road to be completed by the end of 2023.
2. Work to resume in following projects; Al Sharqiyah Expressway and Al Abela-Al Fayyad road, Al Batinah Expressway, Sinaw-Mahout-Duqm road and Adam-Haima road.
3. Dual-carriageway between Al Kamil W’al Wafi and Wilayat of Jaalan Bani Bu Ali.
4. Dualisation of Farq-Hai Al Turath-Izki road, Raysut-Al Mughsayl road and Seeh Al Khayrat-Shasr road, dualisation of roads leading to Rub Al Khali border crossing (Phase 1).
5. RO 53 million for periodic maintenance of asphalt and dust roads for 5 years.
6. 80 per cent of restoration of roads damaged by Shaheen cyclone complete.
7. MoU signed with an international company to complete feasibility study of Masirah bridge and dam.
8. Focus on investments in roads linking sea ports with airports.
9. The ministry to share management of road networks with offices of governors.
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