Muscat: With the prestigious Oman Botanic Garden set to open this year or early next, Muscat Municipality has announced a project to ensure easy access for visitors to this destination.
Keeping in mind the geographic terrain of the area, and traffic flow, especially during heavy rains, the Muscat Municipality has plans to construct a dual carriageway with two lanes in each direction, starting from the Muscat Expressway to the Botanic Garden in Al Khoud with all essential safety measures. This is to ensure smooth traffic flow in the area.
Now, there is a single road starting from the Muscat Expressway to the old Al Khoud area, which is subject to landslides and flowing wadis.
The new road will be built with the highest level of engineering and safety standards to protect it from extreme weather conditions, apart from ensuring easy access to the upcoming Oman Botanic Garden, which is one of its kind not only in the region but also in the world.
The road will cover 14 kilometres with a width of 3,651 meters for each track.
There will be a walkway adjacent to the new road, 800 meters long and 1.5 meters wide, on both sides of the road. It will include a project to drain rainwater.
The Oman Botanic Garden project is expected to be ready in 2023, and its major attractions will include cable cars, according to Salem Al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism.
Ibrahim Said al Kharousi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Heritage, earlier told the Observer, "Oman Botanic Garden project is nearly 75 per cent complete, and we hope to complete it by the end of this year. The project will showcase the all-natural habitat of the Sultanate at one place in the heart of the city." The garden will be one of the largest botanic gardens in the world and will consist of a nursery, visitor centre, research centre, field study centre, outdoor habitat gardens, northern mountain biome, southern mountain biome, and nature reserve area.
Developed on 423 hectares, the Botanic Garden will present an opportunity for visitors to experience the flora and vegetation of Oman while learning about the agricultural heritage, rich cultural traditions, and legendary hospitality of the country.
Recently, the project was transferred from the Diwan of the Royal Court in Oman to the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
