Muscat Metro routes finalised
Routes and station positioning now finalised, along with supporting mass transit solutions
Oman’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning has announced the routes of Muscat Metro, the first-ever mass transit network across the capital city, have now been finalised. The next step will be to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of the Bausher-Al Amerat tunnel, set to be the network’s main link and backbone.
The Muscat Metro is part of the Greater Muscat Masterplan, which focuses on systematic urban expansion as well as allocation of spaces for greenery and landscaping.
The masterplan is in its final stages of preparation and design and will enter implementation stages early next year, after approval from the relevant authorities, said Engineer Ibrahim Hamoud Al Waeli, Executive Director of Urban Strategy at the ministry.
The Muscat Metro routes have been finalised based on a set of key elements such as ease of access, likely rates of footfall and the availability of main stations in strategic areas in the capital. This is in addition to transport networks extending beyond the metro itself, notably express buses and other means of transport to and from the metro.
As for the land uses linked to the economic sector, the masterplan will lend support to the idea of ‘economic blocs’. These include the innovation and knowledge bloc, represented by Knowledge Oasis Muscat, the Sultan Qaboos University and Al Rusayl.
Another segment related to land use in the economic sector is seen in the ‘Industrial and logistic sectors bloc’ namely in the areas of Khazaen, Ruwi, Al Misfah and Al Rusayl.
The ‘tourism and economy bloc’ will be represented in the masterplan by the areas of Muscat, Muttrah, Al Khoudh, the Airport zone, and the area typically occupied by food industries in Barka.
