RIYADH, 13 August — Road contracts worth more than SR732 million were signed here yesterday by Communications Minister Dr. Nasir Al-Salloum with specialist national companies.
The contracts include the implementation of a 340-km-long Hail-Jouf road and the extension of two-way roads between Rafha and Arar by 160 km, between Arar and Turaif by 90 km, and between Hafr Al-Baten and Majmaa by 100 km.
Speaking to reporters after the signing ceremony, the minister said allocations for the contract have been made in the current general budget, which has allocated SR2.075 billion for 93 road projects.
He said the ministry was reviewing tenders offered by various companies to construct two-way roads on the Houtat Bani Tameem-Aflaj-Wadi Al-Dawaser route and the coastal road linking Jeddah-Laith-Qunfuda and Jizan. SR450 million have been allocated for the two projects.
Salloum announced recently the Kingdom’s plan to establish a major highway linking Jordan on the north and Yemen in the south.
The ministry is planning to renovate the old Jeddah-Makkah road in its bid to reduce pressure on the expressway. Ibrahim Al-Sultan, undersecretary for planning, told Okaz that the old road would be set aside mainly for heavy vehicles.
