KHASAB: Musandam Governorate continues to implement and develop several road projects that form a key pillar in strengthening connectivity between the governorate’s wilayats and various areas, improving infrastructure efficiency, facilitating the movement of people and goods, and supporting economic and tourism sectors amid a distinctive geography characterised by mountainous terrain, coastal areas and wadis.
These projects form part of ongoing efforts to enhance the efficiency of the road network, improve road safety and traffic flow, and provide infrastructure capable of keeping pace with development needs and urban and population growth, while opening new opportunities for investment and tourism across the governorate.
H.E. Shaikh Abdullah bin Salim Al Farsi, Wali of Khasab, affirmed that road network development projects represent a key pillar of the comprehensive development taking place across the governorate, given their vital role in strengthening connectivity between the wilayats, niyabats and various areas, facilitating the movement of people and goods, and enhancing infrastructure efficiency in line with the requirements of economic and social growth.
He noted that the Sultan Faisal bin Turki Road (Dibba–Lima–Khasab) is one of the governorate’s most prominent strategic projects, representing a significant advancement in the transport and connectivity network and creating broader opportunities to capitalise on Musandam’s economic, tourism and development potential.
His Excellency explained that investment in road projects is an investment in sustainable development, as it enhances the governorate’s attractiveness to investors, improves access to promising tourism and economic locations, and supports productive and service sectors. This contributes to diversifying economic activities and encourages the private sector to expand its projects and investments. Such projects also strengthen the governorate’s competitiveness and create an enabling environment for growth and development across various sectors.
He added that infrastructure development efforts across the governorate are being implemented within an integrated development framework and in coordination with the relevant authorities, ensuring that projects are aligned with national priorities and community needs.
His Excellency affirmed that the next phase will see continued implementation of strategic projects that contribute to enhancing quality of life, strengthening the foundations of economic and tourism development, and consolidating Musandam Governorate’s position as a promising tourism and investment destination, in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.
Sultan Faisal bin Turki Road
Eng Badr bin Ahmed bin Ali Al Shehhi, Director of the Roads Department in Musandam Governorate, said the Sultan Faisal bin Turki Road (Dibba–Lima–Khasab) is one of the governorate’s most prominent strategic and vital projects, providing direct connectivity between its wilayats and areas and representing a major step forward in mobility as well as logistical and social connectivity.
He explained that the road extends for approximately 70 kilometres and will significantly reduce travel times. The journey between Dibba and Khasab will be reduced from around three hours to approximately 55 to 60 minutes, while travel between the Niyabat of Lima and the Wilayat of Khasab will fall from two and a half hours to around 20 minutes.
He added that the project will strengthen logistical and social connectivity and help overcome the geographical isolation of a number of remote coastal areas, particularly the Niyabat of Lima, where access previously depended largely on sea or air transport. The road will provide safer and easier travel for citizens and residents and facilitate the transportation of goods and essential services under different weather conditions.
Al Shehhi noted that new road projects, along with rehabilitation and maintenance works, have directly contributed to enhancing road safety, improving the efficiency of the road network and keeping pace with population growth, while also supporting the sustainability of infrastructure in the face of the natural and geographical challenges that characterise Musandam Governorate.
He explained that developing the road network is not limited to constructing new roads, but also includes upgrading existing roads and carrying out maintenance and rehabilitation works to ensure continuity of service, improve safety and traffic flow, and strengthen the network’s ability to meet the growing needs of residents as well as economic and tourism activities.
On the mechanism for determining road project priorities, Al Shehhi said the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology applies a unified governance mechanism known as the Road Project Prioritisation Matrix, aimed at ensuring transparency and fairness in the distribution of projects and aligning them with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040 and the Regional Spatial Strategy for Musandam Governorate.
He said the matrix is based on six main criteria: strategic; economic; engineering and technical; construction and maintenance costs; social and local development; and environmental, health and safety considerations.
Road projects support economic and social development
Al Shehhi stressed that developing the road network has a direct impact on economic and social development in Musandam Governorate by reducing operating, transportation and logistics costs, supporting productive sectors, and connecting ports and industrial areas with different parts of the governorate. It also helps create a more attractive environment for investment and stimulates tourism activity.
He added that roads also help overcome the geographical isolation of mountainous and remote villages by connecting them to urban centres in the wilayats, making it easier for residents to access essential services, particularly education and healthcare, while enhancing quality of life and social stability.
Al Shehhi pointed out that the largest current investment in Musandam’s road network is the Sultan Faisal bin Turki Road, whose cost exceeds OMR 151 million. He stressed that the project represents more than an addition to the road network, as it will serve as an enabler for new economic, tourism and urban development opportunities across the governorate.
He added that the project’s completion will create new investment opportunities in sectors and activities linked to transport, tourism, services and other economic fields, allowing greater utilisation of Musandam’s rich natural and geographical assets.
Geography requires specialised engineering solutions
Al Shehhi explained that implementing road projects in Musandam Governorate involves a number of challenges arising from its distinctive geography, with mountainous terrain extending across large parts of the governorate alongside wadis and coastal areas, making the selection and construction of road alignments more complex.
He noted that these conditions require excavation and rock-cutting works, slope protection and protection of watercourses, while access to some locations and the transportation of equipment and materials, as well as the management of work sites, can also be challenging. These factors can affect both project timelines and costs.
He stressed that addressing these challenges requires detailed engineering planning, advance geological and hydrological studies, careful selection of road alignments, and the design of culverts, bridges and stormwater drainage structures capable of accommodating wadi flows, in addition to slope and watercourse protection works.
He explained that the success of road projects in the governorate therefore depends not only on paving works, but on an integrated system of engineering solutions.
Modern roads boost tourism and investment
Al Shehhi said the modern road network plays an important role in enhancing tourism and investment activity in Musandam Governorate by improving access to tourist attractions, connecting wilayats and villages, and making it easier to reach mountainous and coastal areas and villages with tourism potential.
He added that improvements to the road network can contribute to the emergence of new tourism and investment destinations, including resorts, camps and mountain and marine activities, while enhancing logistics services and connectivity with ports, Khasab Airport and the new Musandam Airport, thereby supporting visitor movement and encouraging investment in the governorate.
New projects to enhance network efficiency
Looking ahead, the Director of the Roads Department in Musandam Governorate highlighted several projects to develop the road network, improve efficiency, and enhance road safety and traffic flow. These include the Khasab–Tibat Coastal Road Improvement Project, the Khasab–Al Khalidiyah Road Upgrade Project, and the Khawr Najd Road Paving Project.
He stressed that these projects form part of continued efforts to develop and enhance the readiness of the governorate’s road network in line with the needs of residents and the economic and tourism sectors, while strengthening connectivity among different parts of Musandam and supporting the governorate’s comprehensive and sustainable development.
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