On 06 August, 2017, HRH Prince Muhammad bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Chairman of High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh (HCDR) and Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Committee for King Abdulaziz Public Transport Project (Metro & Busses) made an inspection visit to the project. HRH Prince Muhammad bin Abdulrahman was received by HE Engr. Ibrahim Al-Sultan, member of the High Commission for Development of Arriyadh and President of Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA), ADA Vice President (for programs and planning) and Riyadh Metro project manager, Engr. Walid Al-Ekrish, and ADA senior officials.
In a statement to the press, HRH said, “Work on the implementation of the Riyadh Metro Project is proceeding at steady steps according to the devised plans and programs. The overall completion rate of the project so far is 57%.”
He also commended the great official support the project enjoys from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz. He also commended the directives of the Deputy Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, to implement the project according to the highest international standards.
Moreover, HRH Prince Muhammad bin Abdulrahman praised the supervisory and follow-up efforts by HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar, Chairman of High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh and Chairman of Supervisory Committee for King Abdulaziz Public Transport Project (Metro & Busses).
HRH expressed his pleasure for meeting the competent and professional Saudi engineers working in the project.
HRH Deputy Chairman of the HCDR advanced his thanks to the staff of the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh, led by HE Engr. Ibrahim Al-Sultan, President of Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA), for their efforts in the project. He also praised the residents of Riyadh for demonstrating full understanding of the temporary effects the project has on the traffic movement in some locations.
A visit to the Green Line station and tunnel
On his arrival to the location of the Green Line station (King Abdul Aziz Road axis), adjacent to the intersection of King Abdulaziz Road and Prince Mamdouh bin Abdulaziz Road in Sulaymaniyah district, the HCDR deputy chairman was briefed on the working techniques and safety procedures of the project. Then, he toured the facilities of the 14.7-km2 station, which can accommodate up to 46,000 passengers per day.
HRH Prince Mohammed then watched a short film about the project’s tunneling works, completed by the HCDR earlier this year using 7 tunnel boring machines (TBMs). The works included three tunnels with a total length of 34 km.
A visit to a joint metro station of the Yellow and Violet Lines
After that, the Prince moved to the bridge station located at the intersection of Othman bin Affan Road with Prince Saud bin Mohammed bin Muqrin Road. Prince Mohammed was briefed on the design of the station, its components and capacity, estimated at 53,000 passengers a day.
A visit to a transit metro station of the Yellow and Violet Lines
HRH, the Prince, then visited the transit station adjacent to the intersection between King Khalid International Airport Road and Prince Saud bin Mohammed bin Muqrin Road, where the Yellow and Violate metro lines meet. At the location, he was briefed on the design of the station, its components and capacity, estimated at 68,000 passengers a day.
The bus project’s infrastructure works
During the visit, HRH Deputy Chairman of the HCDR conducted a tour along King Abdulaziz Road, during which he was briefed on the progress achieved throughout the second and third phases of the bus project’s infrastructure works. According to the project’s schedule, the ongoing phases include completion of all modifications required for stations and routes of the bus rapid transit (BRT) lines.
Contributions to “the National Vision of the Kingdom 2030”
King Abdulaziz Public Transport Project (Metro & Busses) will contribute to the achievement of Saudi Vision 2030 goals through promotion of metropolitan economic infrastructure, and qualifying the capital to be one of three Saudi cities planned to be ranked among the world’s top 100 cities, which is also a goal of “the National Vision of the Kingdom 2030”.