SALALAH -- With a number of ongoing projects and many more in the pipeline, Dhofar Municipality is poised to offer citizens and residents better cleanliness and far more amenities. The new facilities will also add value to Salalah Tourism Festival and attract more and more visitors in the years to come.
According to sources at Dhofar Municipality, Salalah is in for a facelift and the civic agency is taking great care to keep the city clean and the environment pollution free. Some major plans are in the offing to ensure a judicious balance between development, tradition and environment. Among the likely plans are saving the grass of mountains by prohibiting movement of vehicles on natural grass of the mountains. Parking lots are to be developed on the mountains on the lines of Wadi Darbat to achieve this goal.
Among the major development projects, work on which, is likely to start soon are those of Hasik, Al Hafa, Dalkhout and Rakhyout. For these areas the authorities have major plans, including housing, shopping area, walkways, parks etc. Keeping in mind the growing vehicular traffic on Salalah roads in near future, at least three major road bridges are to come up on roads like Umm al Ghawarif, Yitin Road and backside of Salalah Airport. Plans are also afoot to expand Al Rubat Street.
Road projects, which are to give better accessibility in and around Salalah are those of Aidam, Harweeb, Al Mazyouna road (62 km), Maitan, Shaeeth road (120 km), Maitan, Al Hashman, Al Shasr, Thumrait road (204 km). The projects also include asphalting and lighting of some internal roads. Foot bridges are likely to come at Burj al Nahda, opposite the court, Dhofar Festival venue and Sultan Qaboos Mosque. This has been planned to ensure smooth passage of pedestrians from one side to other side of the road.
Dhofar Municipality is also focusing on development of other existing roads and improvement of the main roads networks. Installation of interlocks is going on, on a full swing.
In line with its commitment, the Dhofar Municipality has approached some of the best architects and city planners to do the job. These projects carry importance as great care has been taken to make more open spaces, more green belts within the city, more leisure areas, cool promenades and energy efficient lightings to improve overall ambience. The municipality is forging ahead with sustainable development to avoid unbridled progress that can lead to future chaos.
© Oman Daily Observer 2012
