KHASAB -- Musandam has been classified as one of the tourist places in Oman where both historical monuments and geological nature attract visitors. Imagine that you are passing through the Arabian Gulf Gate, looking at the natural diversity on both sides; the towering mountains, the azure sea and the clean beaches with shiny golden sand. It seems like you are inspecting a painting containing the magic of nature and the achievements of the modern Renaissance under His Majesty's leadership.
The most attractive thing in Musandam is the historical aspect which appears as different types of historical landmarks like: castles, forts and towers in addition to the old mosques and traces of the ancient human settlement that can be found carved on stones. The old castle in Wilayat of Khasab seems as a real example of the historical nature of Musandam. It is like a wonderful building with an old tower inside it.
It is worth mentioning that "Khasab Castle" is currently transformed into a modern museum. You have to move for about 20 kilometres from Wilayat Khasab to reach Bukha Fort which has been built in the 17th century and it is the oldest historical site in Wilayat of Bukha. Musandam with its diversity of nature seems an interface to attract tourists from all over the world. There are some famous creeks in Musandam like Khour Sham, Khour al Hablain, Khour Ghab, Khour Kimzar, Kour Najd.
There are lots of projects in the governorate that support the tourism movement like the infrastructure projects and the expansion of Khasab Port. This port has a very strategic location in the Arabian Gulf. Meanwhile, an agreement was signed at the Housing Ministry on Monday to provide consultancy services for a project to set up dykes to protect residential areas against wadi floods in the Governorate of Musandam.
The agreement was signed by Shaikh Saif bin Mohammed al Shabibi, Minister of Housing, and the General Manager of Al Mudheef Port Engineering Consultancy. The agreement covers two stages. The first stage deals with site levelling and it includes detailed measurements, an account of existing wadis and topographical features of the residential layouts. The second stage includes the designing of maps for the discharge of wadi floods and the opening of water canals as per the international specifications.
The minister urged the contractor to expedite the implementation programme to help complete the project within the given timeframe. The agreement comes as part of efforts made by the Ministry to map out new residential areas in the wilayats of Musandam Governorate known for their tough terrain which has so far hampered the use of land plots, said Housing Ministry Under-Secretary Saif bin Amer al Shaqsi, adding that the Ministry is keen on taking the challenge with a view to meeting the growing demand for lands in the Governorate.
As many as 107 residential layouts in Musandam were identified by August 2012, but the number falls drastically short of the 6,344 applications for land plots submitted to the Ministry so far, Al Shaqsi added. Al Shaqsi pointed out that the agreement will help provide new layouts, as well as protection against flood risks and this will launch a new stage of construction activity which will, in turn, activate tourism and economic activity in the governorate, he added.
Meanwhile, the Royal orders of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos to set up service and developmental projects in Musandam Governorate come as additions to the approved projects in the governorate during the 8th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015). In a statement to Oman News Agency, Sultan bin Salim al Habsi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Planning, said upon the issuance of the Royal orders, the Supreme Council for Planning allocated additional budgets for the implementation of these projects in the governorate.
He added that many projects including roads, construction or replacement of some hospitals, health centres and some fishing marinas were allocated for the governorate. He added that the cost of the projects approved for Musandam Governorate during the 8th Five-Year Plan stood at RO 500 million. He hoped that such projects will contribute in the development of the governorate, and will provide more jobs for the citizens. He said that the Supreme Council for Planning has prepared the terms of reference to make a study for the economic development of the governorate.
The study takes into consideration the location, as well as the tourism and commercial nature of the governorate. He affirmed that these projects will serve the interests of the citizens in the governorate and will contribute in increasing employment opportunities. Regarding Daba-Lima-Khasab road project, he said that the 65-km-long road completes the progress made by the project at the last point which starts from Al Khaldiyah in the Wilayat of Khasab to Daba crossing and Lima. The project includes a number of tunnels and bridges. The project will be floated soon.
The construction of tunnels in this project is a new experience for the Sultanate and hopefully this will reduce time and cost. He hoped that the experience will be successful in the governorate, especially technology has reached advanced stage in the Sultanate, and many governorates in the country are known for tough terrain. Steps will be initiated to operate and manage Khasab Port by specialised companies for commercial and tourism purposes.
The port is currently managed by the government. He added that the port still needs some services, which hopefully will be implemented soon so that the port can play a bigger role in future. The National Ferries Company (NFC) will launch its first service to Daba through Shinas Port vide Al Halaniyat vessel next Sunday, he said. When the entrance of the port is deepened, NFC will operate services between the wilayats of Shinas, Diba, Khasab and the nearby ports. He also hailed the role played by NFC in connecting various wilayats in the Musandam Governorate and connecting the governorate to the others.
The Tender Board also hailed the Royal directives on Musandam Governorate. Dr Rasheed bin al Safi al Huraibi, Chairman of the Tender Board, stressed that the Tender Board will put these orders in place and that the board has the necessary mechanism to implement the orders which touch the lives of citizens. This comes within the role of the board in carrying out its duties within the institutional framework whose foundations have been established by His Majesty the Sultan.
© Oman Daily Observer 2012
