DAMMAM, 23 January — Saudi Arabia will buy 24 new railway coaches at a cost of SR100 million. A board meeting of the Saudi Railway Organization, chaired by Communications Minister Dr. Nasir Al-Salloum, has approved the plan. Salloum said the SRO was reviewing offers and specifications to finalize the deal.
The minister affirmed the feasibility of the railway expansion project linking different parts of the Kingdom with a rail network. He added that certain measures had to be completed before floating the project to the private sector.
He said this year's budget included a number of road projects. According to Al-Nadwah newspaper, SR4 billion have been allocated for the expansion of the 700 km Makkah-Laith-Jizan Road, adding that work on the project would start shortly. The paper emphasized the significance of expanding the road that has witnessed a number of horrible road accidents in recent months.
Al-Salloum said his ministry had earmarked SR500 million for the expansion and maintenance of Khafji-Abu Hadariya Road and the Southern Coastal Road.
