JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has achieved self-sufficiency in land transport and does not need to rent buses from foreign countries, even during the Haj season, said Ali Hassan Naqoor, deputy chairman of the National Transport Committee.
“There are now 16 transport companies, which own more than 20,000 buses of different types and models,” Naqoor told Arab News. He estimated the sector’s annual growth at six to 10 percent. He said new development projects such as railways, airports and new transport firms would make the sector one of the best in the region. He added the Kingdom’s air, land and marine transport was growing at a rate of 20 percent annually, especially during the last five years.”
Naqoor estimated private and public investments in the sector during the last five years at nearly SR300 billion. He said the Kingdom’s five-year development plans had given the utmost importance to the sector. Plans are underway to establish a number of new airports including one on the Farasan Islands.
“In the area of marine transport, the Kingdom has established a number of free ports. Some Saudi ports are important points for international shipping lines,” Naqoor said.
Naqoor, who has prepared a research paper on the Kingdom’s transport sector, said the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia accounted for only 10 percent of the Kingdom’s import and export business. “Officials in charge of the company are now trying to increase that percentage to 20 percent within a few years.”
He said the pilgrim transport sector was experiencing a growth rate of 10 to 15 percent annually.
Naqoor reported substantial progress in intercity air and land transport systems. He stressed the need to introduce new regulations to attract investment in the sector in order to carry out projects. New transport projects in Makkah include the second King Abdul Aziz Road, monorail and the Al-Haramain Railway.
Meanwhile, director of the guidance office for the pilgrims’ buses, Faisal Abdul Rahman Asrah, said that a total of 2,000 buses carrying pilgrims from different countries have entered Makkah through the Al-Shimaisi checkpoint on the Makkah-Jeddah expressway.
He said on an average 500 buses enter Makkah daily through the checkpoint.
Tawafa establishments and the general syndicate of cars jointly supervise the office’s activities under the Haj Ministry’s guidance.
— With input from Muhammad Humaidan
