The contractor responsible for implementing the Taif-Makkah-Riyadh road link has said that the project would take a year to complete.
Ahmad Abdul Ghafoor, the engineer in charge of the project, said: “We are still in the early stages. The first part of the work involves laying down an 8-km section of the road. We have completed the surveying part of the work. Some technical matters need to be resolved, and we will then be able to move on to asphalting the section. This part of the road includes a number of culverts that need to be built, so we expect to complete the project within a year.”
“We were also given orders to construct a bridge at the intersection of Al-Urafa Road with Riyadh Road. We have completed the base and cement columns. The bridge work will be completed within five months at a cost of SR75 million,” he said.
Omar Al-Hussaini, director of the Taif Transport Department, said this road is considered “vital to the area.”
“Its completion will help reduce the distance for motorists driving along the Riyadh-Taif road leading to Makkah. This will be very helpful, especially for those who want to visit the Grand Mosque. It will also solve the problem of traffic jams in Taif. There are lanes marked for big trucks. The remaining section is 24 km long and there will be four lanes on each side,” he said.
“This project was not accounted for in earlier ministry budgets. We are now giving it top priority and it will be included in the next budget. The money needed for the project will be allocated and will be awarded to a specialized company for implementation,” he said.
