A light metro network linking the cities of Ruwi and Muttrah to the airport and Seeb is being planned according to Omani authorities. The metro will be one of the main transport arteries of a revitalised Muscat, which will have Ghala as the centre of its commercial activities.
According to a report by the Times of Oman, the metro plans were drawn up under the Oman National Spatial Strategy (ONSS), which is said to be a blueprint that looks at the planning of the country’s cities for the next 20 years.
Under the ONSS, multi-use areas will be set up around the various metro stations for developments such as offices, retail stores and residential areas. Special financial and regulatory incentives are to be given to certain sites such as the airport zone and Ghala, research facilities in places such as Al Khoud and Halban, and industrial zones in Misfah and Rusayl, to attract investments and promote growth, the report explained.
The ONSS also calls for wadis in Muscat to be turned into pedestrian walkways and parks, to provide people in the city opportunities to lead healthier lives.
Apart from the metro, revised transportation plans include a passenger rail service that will connect Seeb to Sohar, the capital of the North Al Batinah Governorate, the report concluded.
