Muscat: The Greater Muscat Structure Plan (GMSP) places lots of importance on connectivity via public transportation and less dependence on private vehicles, according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (MoHUP).
It may be noted that the plan will enter the implementation stage (four phases) once approved by the Council of Ministers.
The proposed metro line will start from Sultan Haitham City and will have important stations at Muscat International Airport, CBD Ghala, Al Khuwair Downtown, and finally CBD Ruwi.
The Wilayat of Al Amerat, separated from the rest of the city by mountains, will be connected through a road tunnel in addition to the existing mountain road.
According to Ahmed al Dughaishi of GMSP, “This tunnel will change the face of Al Amerat. This will also help link the suburb with Ruwi through a Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS).
From Ruwi, people can go to various parts of the city, using the metro and other modes of transport. “The road tunnel project will raise the value of land in
Al Amerat with the availability of new prospects for the business and tourism sectors,” he said.
He added that the development of public transport is important to reduce dependence on private vehicles, traffic congestion, accidents as well as carbon emissions.
Besides the Metro and BRTS, the master plan will have provisions to use an on-demand taxi, bicycle, or scooter to the nearest metro stations.
Another big change in the public transport network of the city under the new plan will be the development of water taxis, which will be a new concept for the Sultanate of Oman.
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