JEDDAH, 4 August 2004 — Crown Prince Abdullah will today lay the foundation stone for the 545-km Taif-Baha-Abha two-way road. The first phase of the project, to be completed in three years, will cost SR600 million.
Prince Abdullah, who arrived in Taif on Monday night, is expected to launch a number of development projects in the summer resort. The projects include the Taif University, Prince Sultan Medical College and King Faisal Park.
Transport Minister Dr. Jabara Al-Seraisry described the new Taif-Abha road as one of the Kingdom’s “main arteries of development,” adding that it would link three regions — Makkah, Baha and Asir regions — and promote economic and social progress. The first phase covers expansion of the road up to Baljurashi in the Baha region with a length of 200 kilometers. The project has been awarded to three major Saudi contractors.
The expansion of Taif-Baha-Abha Road comes in response to public demand as the present narrow but busy road had witnessed several horrific accidents over the past years. About 80 people are killed and nearly 200 are injured in accidents on the road annually.
“The project is good news for the thousands of people who use this road,” Fahd Al-Jaeed, a government official, said.
Baha Governor Prince Muhammad ibn Saud said the new expansion project would make the road safer. “It will boost development throughout the region,” he added.
Mufreh Al-Zahrani, director of roads and transport in the Makkah region, said that 100 kilometers of the Taif-Baha-Abha road have so far been made two-way. The first phase of the project has been included in the current budget, he added.
He said the first phase includes construction of 89 bridges and requires about 111,607 cubic meters of concrete.
“At present some 50 road projects worth more than SR1.6 billion are being implemented in the Makkah region,” he added.
Prince Sultan ibn Salman, secretary-general of the Supreme Commission for Tourism, emphasized the significance of the new road as it links three main tourist centers in the country — Taif, Baha and Abha.
He said domestic tourism had achieved substantial growth. “According to a study conducted by the commission in association with a specialized company on local tourist festivals, domestic tourism grew by 67 percent this year compared to last year,” he said.
Prince Sultan said that Taif would be promoted as a tourist center for pilgrims coming to the Kingdom for Haj and Umrah. He disclosed the commission’s plan to hold a market for traditional crafts and industries in Taif for the second consecutive year.
Meanwhile, a number of businessmen have estimated new tourism and industrial investment in Taif at more than SR1 billion. “There are a number of tourism projects under implementation in Taif,” said Salah Al-Haddad, acting secretary-general of the Taif Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Plans are under way to establish a large industrial city in Taif covering an area of 1.96 million square meters, he added.
According to Haddad, more than two million tourists visit Taif every year. Tourism revenues from Taif this year would cross SR2 billion, he added.
