The proposed project will cover 2.5 million square meters of Wadi Al-Asla. “We have completed about 50 percent of the project,” said Muhammad Al-Tamimi, adviser to the Jeddah mayor.
The area is located about 5 km east of the expressway and east of Jeddah’s Water Sanitation Lake. The municipality is currently planting 160,000 plants including plants that naturally drive away insects.
In the second phase, the forested area would be expanded further to eight million square meters, planting 360,000 fragrant flowers and herbs. This will bring the total area of the forest, which is also known as Eastern Corniche to 10 million square meters.
The municipality officials, including Khaled Oqail, assistant mayor, who took media persons for a tour of the region, including the sewage lake, also spoke about a farmers’ village, which is being developed on an area of 42 million square meters. The farmers’ village project comprises construction of chalets, rest houses, restaurants, shops and special areas for families. “Studies are still under way on the project. Once studies are completed it will be handed over to private investors,” Al-Tamimi said.
The municipality has planted about 200,000 fragrant flowers and herbs in another area covering six million square meters within seven months, said Al-Tamimi, who is general manager for the execution of Wadi Al-Asla projects under Jeddah Development Company.
The municipality has completed two pipelines to carry water from the lake to the water treatment plant in the airport and another line from the plant to the rainwater drainage system.
Al-Tamimi said the level of water at the lake has been brought down from 10 to 6.7 meters. He said the water treatment plant would soon start experimental operation to work with full capacity of 60,000 cubic meters daily.
