RIYADH, 18 June — The government is seriously considering prospects of privatizing the 826-km Qassim-Madinah-Yanbu-Rabigh expressway project, which is estimated to cost SR3 billion ($800 million), informed sources at the Communications Ministry told Arab News.
The project will be implemented in three stages. First, a two-way road with three lanes on each side will be constructed between Qassim and Madinah. It will start at the point where the Riyadh-Qassim Expressway ends and cross the Bakeriya-Riyadh Al-Khobara Road.
The second stage of the project will link Madinah with Yanbu as the new highway will start from the third ring road close to the holy city and pass by Sudaira village and Faqra mountains, cross the present Yanbu road and join the Yanbu-Rabigh Expressway.
The new highway is expected to facilitate transportation of goods from the Yanbu Industrial City and King Fahd Industrial Port in the city to other parts of the country, especially to Madinah, Qassim and Riyadh.
The sources highlighted the economic significance of the project as it will promote trade exchange between the Kingdom’s coastal cities. The northern cities of Tabuk, Wajh and Dhuba will also benefit.
“Agricultural development is one of the major objectives of the project as the road passes by farming regions,” the sources said.
“A number of agricultural regions between Qassim and Madinah as well as Madinah and Yanbu will benefit from the new highway.
The sources said the project will promote domestic tourism facilitating the inflow of tourists from within and outside the Kingdom to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah and the historic places in Badr, Hunain and Yanbu as well as to the five-km-long Corniche in Yanbu.
The new expressway will be one of main arteries linking various parts of the country.
