JEDDAH: A strategic plan for the development of Jeddah over the next 20 years has been prepared.
The Jeddah municipality will unveil the plan during a ceremony here today in the presence of Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal. It will be attended by nearly 1,000 prominent people, including government officials, academics and businessmen.
The strategy focuses on the development of urban areas, optimum use of land, boosting local economy, protecting the environment, improving social services, expanding tourism and transport facilities, and developing infrastructure, seafront, recreational centers, housing facilities and underdeveloped areas.
Jeddah Mayor Adel Fakieh said the strategy was prepared with the support of international experts. “The plan requires the establishment of infrastructure facilities such as roads, transport means and recreational centers to meet present and future requirements of the sprawling city,” he said.
“The strategic plan gives a futuristic vision for Jeddah,” Fakieh said. “Its main objective is to ensure a high living standard for the residents and visitors of Jeddah.”
Fakieh highlighted the position of Jeddah in the Islamic world being the main gateway of pilgrims to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. “We want to make Jeddah a modern city that can compete with international cities, providing a high standard of living and protecting environment,” the mayor said.
He said during the last 60 years Jeddah’s population increased 100 times and its area by 1,000 times. “It has developed from a traditional port to a civilized urban city,” he said, adding that the strategy was aimed at achieving balanced development of all residential districts in the city.
Speaking about underdeveloped areas in Jeddah, Fakieh said it covered about 4,800 hectares where about 35 percent of people live. “There is shortage in land allocated for the housing of people with low income,” he said.
He said there are about 250,000 people without homes in planned residential districts in addition to 1.2 million people living in underdeveloped areas. He said Jeddah required 670,000 housing units to meet future requirements.
