TAIF: Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal yesterday discussed with officials here the prospect of building an 11-km tunnel between Makkah and Taif that would reduce travel time between the two cities to 30 minutes.
“The tunnel project will boost tourism and business in Taif,” an official close to Taif Investment & Tourism Company (TITC) told Arab News. According to one report, the tunnel between Hada and Kar will cost SR2 billion.
The governor discussed the project with Taif Gov. Fahd bin Muammar and representatives of the chambers of commerce and industry in Makkah, Jeddah and Taif, Taif police, and Taiseer Al-Dhabit, a member of the TITC board.
“A number of prominent businessmen in the Makkah province also attended the talks,” the official said. The project is the brainchild of Taif governor and the TITC has conducted a feasibility study on the project.
TITC officials have already spoken to the Transport Ministry to take up the project while a specialized company has prepared a plan for the tunnel, which will be named after Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.
The tunnel would have six lanes, three on each side, said one TITC official. The project would make Taif closer to Makkah than Jeddah. At present nearly one million vehicles use the Makkah-Taif road every month.
“We believe that the number of vehicles moving between the two cities will increase dramatically after the construction of the tunnel as people would find it safer and more comfortable,” he added.
Taif, which is known for its salubrious climate and enchanting natural beauty, draws more than two million tourists and holidaymakers every year. Authorities have set up a number of tourist centers in various parts of the city to provide guidance to tourists and distribute booklets and maps.
Prince Khaled also visited a number of places nearby Taif yesterday and inspected work on several welfare projects there. He also met prominent personalities and tribal leaders in the area.
Speaking to reporters in Taif on Thursday, Prince Khaled blamed contractors for the delay in the execution of projects in the city. “Companies that win contracts presenting the lowest bid may be weak,” he pointed out.
He said a company would be established in Taif to develop the least developed areas in the tourist city. He also disclosed plans to launch a new project to solve the problem of water shortage in the city.
Prince Khaled said the project to develop Souk Okaz was progressing well. “I will discuss the matter with Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities,” he said.
Meanwhile, a number of academics and businessmen in Taif have called for the establishment of an international airport in the city to boost tourism and reduce pressure on King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah. They hoped that Gov. Prince Khaled would take up the matter to make their dream a reality. The Taif governor recently disclosed plans to establish a new airport in the city covering an area of 57 sq. kilometers.
