The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs plans to acquire 188 properties to make way for various projects, including widening of roads and drainage systems.

Prince Mansour bin Miteb, the minister, said the government would pay property owners SR57 million for 10 properties in certain areas.

It will also pay SR29 million for properties making way for the expansion of King Abdulaziz Road in Hail, and SR27 million for the Mahbas Al-Jen road project in Makkah.

It will pay SR770,000 to expand a graveyard and create a drainage system in Riyadh; and SR345,000 for a walkway in the Al-Ghalaith neighborhood in Abha, Asir.

The ministry will also acquire property for a project on Prince Majed Street in Jeddah, and to expand Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Street there.

Properties would also be appropriated for road widening projects in Najran's Abu Bakr and King Abdullah streets.

The ministry plans to pay for properties in Minsk in Abha, to make way for the Abu Khayal park and garden project. Another five properties will be expropriated for projects in Sakakah in Al-Jouf.

Properties will also be bought for a road project in Wadi Al-Dawaser in the Riyadh region, the Universities Road in Madinah, and a Massar Valley project in the region.

The project to expand King Abdulaziz Road in Hail was stopped a while ago. Residents claimed that the municipality did not provide any reason for this.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah ordered the expansion project when he visited the region in 2006. Three months ago, the Hail Municipality announced the start of the project, including building on the King Fahd Mosque, but all work stopped after 58 days.

The municipality explained at the time that it paid out SR150 million in compensation to property owners. It also said the entire compensation process would cost SR300 million after an endorsement by the Justice Ministry.

Ibrahim Abu Ras, Hail's mayor, said the municipality would widen the road by 60 meters and lengthen it by 12 km. The road is in the center of Hail and links several major roads.