RIYADH: The Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) is planning to connect all the regions of the country with a railway network spanning 2,750 km.
Rumaih bin Muhammad Al-Rumaih, chief executive officer of the SRO, said that the north to south line would be over 1,242 km across six stations. He disclosed this information at a recent meeting with members of the Council of Saudi Chambers’ (CSC) national industrial committee.
This was in response to committee members raising several concerns at the meeting including linking of industrial cities to remote areas of the country and for the government to provide more support for local businesses.
Saad Al-Muajjal, head of the committee, said cooperation was needed between the SRO and businesses to ensure that the economy grows. “The sector needs support to strengthen its competitiveness,” he said.
Al-Rumaih said that the SRO wants partnerships with investors. He said the SRO’s projects are planned by the Ministry of Transport, which is tasked with improving the rail network to help grow the economy.
In addition to a passenger network, he said work began in 2011 on the first phase of the train lines for the mining industry. There is currently a line running from the Al-Jalameed area through Qassim over 1,400 km transporting 30,000 tons of minerals a day to export processing facilities in Ras Al-Khair on the Arabian Gulf coast.
Al-Rumaih said it was possible that the SRO, a state-owned company, may go public at some stage.
Saudi Railways seek private investment
Saudi Railways seek private investment
KSrelief distributes winter aid to Gaza students
RIYADH: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief recently distributed winter clothing to students at educational sites in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip as part of its campaign to support the Palestinian people.
The initiative addresses the growing needs of students continuing their education under difficult circumstances, with classes held in tents after most schools and educational facilities were destroyed.
Meanwhile, the 80th Saudi relief airplane operated by KSrelief arrived at El Arish International Airport in Egypt, in coordination with the Ministry of Defense and the Saudi Embassy in Cairo.
The airplane is carrying food baskets and shelter kits for distribution to affected Palestinians inside the Gaza Strip. The supplies are part of Saudi support to help alleviate the difficult living conditions in Gaza.
Since its establishment in 2015, KSrelief has implemented 147 projects in Palestine worth about $533 million, covering food security, early recovery, water, sanitation and hygiene, health, camp coordination, education, protection, emergency aid, and nutrition.
