MUSCAT: The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology announced that Al Jabal Al Abyadh (the white mountain) road project is currently in the preparatory phase and the construction work will start soon on the project which is expected to be completed within 25 months.
The main route begins in the village of Ghrouba in the Wilayat of Tiwi, extending 9 kilometres to the mountain’s summit, at a cost of RO 13.5 million.
The road will connect Al Jabal Al Abyadh peak to the Qurayat-Sur road, strengthening social ties for residents of the mountain villages and facilitating access to urban centres. The project also aims to open up tourism investment opportunities in the promising potential of Al Jabal Al Abyadh.
The ministry plans to construct seven branch roads, with a total of more than 46 kilometres, to connect dozens of mountain villages in the future, according to financial allocations.
The proposed route of the project starts from the village of Ghrouba to the village of Al Jahl amid extremely rugged terrain up until the summit of Al Jabal Al Abyadh, 2,000 metres above sea level.
Eng Khulood bint Khalid al Farsi, Director of the Al Jabal Al Abyadh Project at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, confirmed that the project’s design takes into account the tough and rugged terrain and is using precise engineering for the road’s path tailored to the slopes and topographical conditions, in addition to employing advanced technologies in excavation and rock cutting.
She noted that the project is based on an integrated system of safety and protection elements, including solutions for rainwater drainage and protecting the slopes from flash floods.
Specialised rock stabilisation technologies will also be used, along with systems and netting to prevent rockfalls, thus enhancing the safety of road users and contributing to the continuity of traffic flow during extreme weather conditions. She added that the road will help remove terrain obstacles thus enabling the transportation of heavy equipment and the establishing of resorts and tourist facilities, making Al Jabal Al Abyadh an all-year-round integrated investment and tourist destination.
The road consists of one lane in each direction, which contributes to linking the region and facilitating movement through its rugged mountainous terrain.
As for the project’s schedule, preparatory works will be completed in 60 days followed by the construction phase which is scheduled to be completed within 25 months according to the approved engineering and technical standards, which ensures the project’s implementation with the required quality, she said.
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