“The upper part of the intersection will be open to traffic by Nov. 15 but the underpass will not be opened now because of ongoing works to change the rainwater pumping systems,” the municipality added.

Engineers are now replacing three pumps with a power of 146 liters per second with newly imported pumps with a power of 260 liters per second. It also requires some more mechanical and electrical work.

The underpass’ previous design was prepared considering a rainfall of 33mm/hour but the new designs have anticipated rains up to 110mm/hour in the light of rain forecasts for the next 100 years.

The municipality said the delay in completing the project was necessary to avoid flash floods that had caused major human and material losses during the last two years.

Informed sources told Arab News that work on many vital projects in various parts of the Kingdom has been halted for different reasons. In Jeddah alone 62 of 182 projects remain incomplete.