As we are on the threshold of a quantum leap in the form of the Riyadh Public Transport Project (RPTP), which is part of an extensive plan for the development of the capital city, we still hear voices that are habitual of sowing seeds of discontent through their analyses and skewed explanation implying that the project will not take off as planned.
They are doing this at a time when all directives have been issued by the higher authorities. Riyadh Gov. Prince Khaled bin Bandar and Deputy Gov. Prince Turki bin Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz have already said that inhabitants of Riyadh must remain patient until the completion of the project.
Those who are raising these voices regardless of their schemes and intentions are sadly mistaken.
I say this because this is a very huge long-awaited project, and the time has come to avail ourselves of this well-prepared and well-planned opportunity. I recall that preparations were not limited to the material level but to the moral level also, starting from the leadership overseeing the implementation, in the person of Prince Khalid bin Bandar and Prince Turki bin Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, to the supervision team headed by engineer Ibrahim Al-Sultan and colleagues and the outreach program that aimed at preparing citizens of Riyadh to understand importance of the project and cooperate to help its execution as scheduled.
In brief, the plan is being implemented as designed, and the specialized cadres have virtually taken everything into consideration. Nevertheless, doors are open for every idea or proposal that could positively contribute to make this dream come true. Let nobody expect that the authorities are missing out anything.
There are some colleagues from the engineering sector who spoke as experts in this respect and argued that the project would be different in form and content, hence it would be in contrast with the existing construction and buildings. What surprises me in this hypothesis is that those objecting to the project forget that the basic idea behind the project is to make a qualitative shift and not an end of a stage, i.e. it will lead to an overall comprehensive change in the shape of Riyadh city and will move it to a new phase of its history.
In the meantime, we shouldn’t forget that there are other developmental projects, like streets, tunnels, flyovers and rehabilitation of roads and pavements. These projects will continue and will not stop, and the underground project will not put an end to them. These projects are going on according to the schedule and they enjoy the same follow up by the leadership.
Having said this, we should all be united in achieving what is best. I have repeatedly said that we are in the same trench facing the same destiny. But those who say that the project will not be completed, and even if this happens it would be after tens of years after turning Riyadh upside down, they are using expressions special to the dictionary of pessimists. We must respond drastically to this language, and at the same time, I appeal to my fellow engineers to talk to the people, encourage them and tell them that these kinds of projects require patience and perseverance. The higher authority for the development of Riyadh city and its municipality are open to suggestions and ideas. Those who play to a different tune have no place among us.
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