Muscat: The Greater Muscat Plan will cater to the growth of the capital region (extending from Muscat to Barka), which is expected to be home to around 36 per cent of the total population by 2040.
The project will include development plans for various regions that include Al Amerat, Sultan Haitham City, Barka and the Muscat Airport City, among others.
An official at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning said the region will be divided into different sectors -- industry, retail trade, business and finance, tourism, logistics, knowledge and innovation, and agriculture -- with an investment value of RO 15 billion.
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The master plan will help create 1.8 million jobs by 2040 and will also cater to the issues related to climate change, flash floods, metro rail, and all kinds of public transportation.
The gradual implementation of the project will take off in 2024 with a special focus on developing the transport system (including Muscat Metro Project), promoting infrastructure and environment protection.
Public transport is expected to contribute to reducing greenhouse emissions by nearly 44 per cent.
Dr Khalfan bin Said al Shueili, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, emphasised the potential economic impacts of major cities on the economy of the Sultanate of Oman, and their contribution to population growth and job creation.
"We are in the process of involving active discussions and inviting feedback from the public by involving all stakeholders in the discussion." According to estimates, the number of people living in Greater Muscat will contribute around 49 per cent to the national GDP by 2040.
Around 48 per cent of the workforce in 2040 will be based in the Greater Muscat.
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