RAK plans Dh3b road development

Ras Al Khaimah: Ras Al Khaimah will implement an ambitious road development programme to upgrade its road infrastructure with an estimated investment of Dh3 billion.

Speaking at the Ras Al Khaimah Conference 2008, organised jointly by the Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (Rakia) and MEED, David Yaw, regional managing director of Halcrow, said that plans are in place to upgrade the emirate's road and sewerage networks to cater to a predicted population of 600,000 by 2015.

"The Road Improvement Programme would include the extension of the Emirates Road, creation of new roads, including those to rural areas and quarries and expansion of the existing road network. We are looking at an investment of Dh2 to Dh3 billion over a four to five-year period. Part of that will be funded locally while another part will be federal funding," he said.

The government has prepared a RAK Road Network Development Strategy, which is designed to cope with the proposed growth plans for the entire emirate.

Apart from the proposed extension of the Emirates Road, the other development plans include creation of new highways, widening of existing roads, building of flyovers and improving congested junctions. It would also include development of the Siji to Shokah road and RAK Coastal Road as well as building the new Al Jais Mountain Road.

"The RAK Road Network Development Strategy is not just to serve the urban environment, but it also aims to help the industrial and manufacturing economy that figures prominently in the emirate's plans for the future and to take forward the vision of Shaikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler, who is passionate about providing development to the people of Ras Al Khaimah, living both in the rural and urban areas," he said.

The Road Improvement Programme has been drawn up on the basis of a transportation and traffic study commissioned by the Government of Ras Al Khaimah last year.

He said that the RAK Government is currently setting up a sewerage network involving an investment of Dh360 million in two phases along with a waste water treatment plant incurring another investment of Dh60 million.

The development plans include creation of new highways, widening of existing roads, building of flyovers and improving congested junctions.