MUSCAT -- The Ruwi Beautification Plan, which has elements of development, tradition and environment, is part of the 24-project Muscat Master Plan announced in 2010 by Muscat Municipality, aimed at transforming the capital city of Muscat into a world-class destination complete with best of the amenities including more green parks and places for recreation and entertainment. Since 2010 when Muscat Municipality announced 24 ambitious projects for the capital city of Muscat, a number of projects have been completed and many are currently under way. With the gradual completion of these projects, a new beautiful look of Muscat is emerging with all its healthy and aesthetically pleasing environment and basic amenities.
The Wadi belt of around 25 hectares in Muscat is being transformed into an oasis of greenery, promenade, football pitch, trees and soft landscapes. The idea is to preserve the environment by improving the greenery around the city. The Hamriya Elevated Park with 24 terraced parks, playgrounds and an amphitheatre naturally sculpted into the mountain along with an observation area giving a panoramic view of the sea and surrounding areas is in store for the residents and visitors of the city. The wadis (valleys) of Wadi Kabir are being developed into recreational spaces for children and families, while they continue as channels for rainwater. Muscat Plaza in the Ministries Area is another attractive project of the Muscat Master Plan. To be surrounded by shaded structures and a 2 kilometre long and 14 metre high canopy lined by waterfronts and landscapes, it will have an auditorium, exhibition space, Imax theatre, as well as an amphitheatre and car parking, say experts.
Similarly, Al Khuwair Activity Hub and Park on a 17,000sqm park with 72,000sqm of built-up space, and a redesigned Muttrah Fish and Vegetable Market are greatly awaited by the residents. The Muscat Master Plan envisages more green parks and places for recreation and entertainment for the residents and visitors to Muscat, which in turn will give a boost to tourism. In this regard the Saturday's opening of the most ambitious project namely the West Gate Mall in Ruwi High Street is a big boost for the ongoing development. The West Gate Mall, which consists of 65 shops, saw the opening of Malabar Gold and Diamond Showroom on Saturday by Indian actress Karishma Kapoor. The remaining 64 showrooms are all set to open by next month. The phase two of the RO 7.5 million West Gate Mall, namely the four-star 118-room Headington Plaza Hotel, would be up and running by November, K K Hussain, Chief Executive Officer of the hotel, told the Observer.
Most of the 65 shops at the West Gate Mall are already occupied by gold and diamond jewellery showrooms, money exchanges and travel agencies. The first floor of the mall is reserved for the ladies and kids showrooms and parlours. Equipped with a lot of amenities such as prayer rooms, ablution area, kid's play area, centralised air-conditioning, CCTV cameras and beautiful interior décor, the mall has added much beauty and elegance to the skyline of the area. The mall provides car parking facilities for over 140 cars, says K K Hussain, who is also Executive Director of Kehlan Trading & Contracting LLC, which has executed the entire project. The Ruwi Beautification Project envisages the removal of old and dilapidated buildings with new projects, adding to the beauty of Ruwi, says Sulaiman al Salhi, Chairman, Gulf International Investment Co LLC (GIC), which owns the mall. The City of Ruwi, the commercial and main business district of the Sultanate, is fast witnessing the replacement of narrow streets and old buildings, some of them built in early 1970s, with a brand new look as the beautification plan progresses.
The Ruwi Beautification Plan consists of CBD development, Al Jami Street upgrade, Hamriya Terraced Park and Wadi Kabir Park. There is a plan to build more public spaces and playgrounds for the neighbouring communities in the Ruwi area. As the first project of the Ruwi Beautification Plan, the West Gate Mall in the heart of Ruwi has helped advance the vision for a new beautiful Ruwi with a modern and aesthetically pleasing business environment and infrastructure. The Other GIC partners, including K K Hussain, Director, and Mohammed Ashraf, General Manager, said, "The architectural view of the West Gate Mall and Hotel has changed the old view and skyline of the Ruwi High Street". In addition to RO 4.5 million from the promoters, GIC took a loan of RO 3 million from Oman Development Bank for the project. The company, which has plans for 40 per cent Omanisation, said as per the Omani Labour Law those who will be sent abroad for training will have to work for the hotel for a minimum of four years.
A 4-star hotel with associated facilities in the heart of 'Ruwi' would be one of the major projects that fits in well with the 'Beautiful Ruwi' concept and would perhaps herald a new beginning for people longing for homely surroundings and comfort. Going by the spree of constructions in different parts of the city one can say Ruwi is set for a mega overhaul in the years to come. A big and ambitious project, the plan includes the restructuring if the Central Business District (CBD), Al Jami Street upgrade, Al Hamriya Terraced Park and Wadi Kabir Park. Work began on some of its projects in 2010. Among the areas earmarked for facelift in the Ruwi High Street include old and dilapidated shops, supermarkets and some roads. Built over 30 years ago, Ruwi is undergoing a thorough overhaul and that's what the beautification plan seeks to do. The Ruwi plan is mainly about connectivity and envisages a very powerful network of roads, including an elevated 60-metre-high park in Al Hamriya.
Prior to 1970, Ruwi was a small village. In the early seventies a dual carriageway was built linking Muttrah's new cornice to Ruwi. Subsequently Ruwi was swamped under a hodgepodge of shops along the Ruwi High Street. The beautification plan injects an element of ethics, modern architecture and a host of new recreational facilities. The shopping in 'Ruwi High Streets' had always been a hit with the public until the advent of large hypermarket formats which not only altered the concept of shopping but even changed the way shopping was hitherto being carried out. This was quite a novel experience for the general public. At a time when hypermarkets became an instant success with the public, Ruwi continued to be a place for small purchases. The West Gate Mall with a host of associated facilities in the heart of Ruwi is among the first major projects that is breathing a new life into the area.
© Oman Daily Observer 2014
