Abideen, Deputy Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MOMRA), speaks to reporters during a press conference in Riyadh, Sunday. (Courtesy photo)RIYADH: Developing an efficient public transport network is the only solution to address the concerns about increasing traffic on Saudi roads, said Dr. Habib Zein Al-Abideen, Deputy Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MOMRA). He was speaking at the two-day Saudi Arabia Urban Transport Conference 2011 that he inaugurated here, Sunday. Dr. Al-Abideen made a detailed presentation on the successful implementation of Phase I of Al-Mashaer Al-Muqadasah Southern metro line that included 18-kilometer elevated route with nine stations, primarily aimed at transporting Haj pilgrims to holy sites at Mina, Muzdalifah and Mount Arafat. “The SR6.5 billion metro line, which operated at 35 percent of its capacity, is intended to reduce road congestion and will replace around 4,000 buses,” he said. The deputy minister said in order to develop a vast public transport network in the Kingdom; it is imperative to boost public-private sectors partnership. Representatives from various ministries, area municipalities from Onaiza and Makkah, officials of Ar-Riyadh Development Authority (ADA) and chief executives of companies from private sector also attended the event. Al-Abideen, however, questioned the absence of Ministry of Transport in the conference organized in cooperation with the International Quality and Productivity Center (IQPC). “This conference is about transport and not inviting the Transport Ministry is something beyond comprehension.” The deputy minister called on the private sector to make investments in the transport sector particularly in the development of railroads in the Kingdom. “If you use railroads such as metros you will also protect the country's environment,” he said. The lack of public transport was leading to an increased volume of vehicular traffic and carbon dioxide emission, a major cause of pollution, he said. He said the relevant departments have already conducted a number of feasibility studies on railroad metro projects for cities such as Riyadh and Jeddah. “I think the municipalities in different areas have been trying to woo the private sector in building infrastructure required for public transport, but so far not succeeded in their efforts to convince them,” he said.
