Railway projects worth more than SR4 billion will be open to private sector investors, according to the Minister of Transport, Jubara bin Id Al-Suraysri
The Saudi Council of Chambers invited Saudi businessmen early this year to invest in the railway projects, according to a report published today by the Jeddah-based Saudi Gazette.
Al-Suraysri clarified that the Supreme Economic Council made several important decisions in this regard, including expansion of the railway network from Jubail and Dammam to Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah and Yanbu via Riyadh.
On the basis of a technical report as regards ascertaining the route of the railway line and the area required for stations, prepared by the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals, the Saudi Geological Survey and the mineral companies, a decision was made to strongly prohibit sale, distribution, or amendment of any land allocated to the railway network, in addition to reconfirming with the courts not to issue any land documents for such locations.
Any individual already owning land falling under the railway network will have to give it up but will be compensated by another plot of land falling outside the route.
A directive was also issued with regard to the importance of coordination with all concerned authorities, such as the ministries of interior; municipal and rural affairs; petroleum and minerals; transport; finance and national economy and agriculture and water to take all necessary action to protect the identified routes from any trespassing.
The railway line is to be more than 1,065km long with 950km reaching Jeddah and Riyadh to be attached to the present network in Riyadh before building a 115km long railway line between Dammam and industrial Jubail.
Once ready, this land bridge will contribute to a flow of merchandise to the local markets and to the markets of the Arabian Gulf through Jeddah Islamic Port and the King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam.
This will represent a clear reflection of the Saudi economy and will strengthen the regional presence of these two ports connecting two very important sea corridors in the region, the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf.
