Oman Pushes ahead with US$273mn road infrastructure programme

Oman is firmly accelerating its national development trajectory by driving forward a comprehensive road infrastructure programme valued at more than RO105 million, equivalent to approximately $273 million.

Spearheaded across the North A’Sharqiyah Governorate through 2025 and 2026, these ambitious transport initiatives form a core pillar of the country's long-term economic diversification framework under the overarching Oman Vision 2040 strategy. According to the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, the extensive scheme involves building brand-new routes, widening the existing transportation grid, and executing the dualisation of crucial highways that tie together residential districts, industrial zones, and major tourist destinations across the governorate’s various wilayats.

Providing a comprehensive update on regional progress, transport officials highlighted that steady, uninterrupted headway is being achieved on several critical fronts. Notably, construction on the 9-kilometre Aqabat Wadi Bani Khalid road has surged past the 85 percent completion mark. Once fully operational, this strategic pathway will tightly connect the commercial centre of Wadi Bani Khalid with key surrounding tourism, commercial, and economic hubs, facilitating smoother transit for both local residents and commercial operators alike.

In tandem with this landmark milestone, the ministry has formally awarded a substantial RO29.1 million contract dedicated to the dualisation of the 15.6-kilometre Al Yahmedi Al Qafisi road situated within the Wilayat of Ibra. Simultaneously, active engineering operations continue unabated on a vital roadway linking the communities of Mahlah, Ghubrat Al Tam, and Ismailiyat Al Khabah located in Dima Wa Al Taaiyin, representing an investment valued at over RO8 million.

Beyond these flagship projects, the ministerial roadmap encompasses several newly awarded contracts designed to close infrastructural gaps and optimise regional accessibility. These essential additions include a RO4.8 million project establishing a direct link between Ibra and Dima Wa Al Taaiyin, a RO13.5 million road construction initiative at Al Jabal Al Abyadh, and a RO12.4 million contract focused on paving local roads throughout Al Qabil.

Furthermore, the expansive regional upgrade initiative features a RO9.2 million modernisation scheme targeting the crucial thoroughfare connecting Sinaw, Mahoot, and Duqm. This is complemented by a RO15.6 million contract directed toward completing all remaining engineering works on the Sultan Turki bin Said Road, an essential transport corridor stretching across both the North and South A’Sharqiyah governorates.

These localized enhancements are part of a much broader nationwide push to expand the country's transport network. Across the Sultanate, the cumulative length of asphalt roads has climbed past 16,680 kilometres, supported by an unprecedented surge in development expenditure aimed at accelerating project delivery and bridging planned budgets with actual on-the-ground implementation. Infrastructure spending has taken centre stage, accounting for a massive share of state capital allocation to ensure that vital economic corridors are completed efficiently.

Reflecting on the broader strategic momentum driving these milestones, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology Eng Saeed bin Hamoud al Maawali remarked in an official performance report: "The year 2025 represents a renewed milestone in the journey of work and achievement." This overarching drive towards rapid project execution aligns seamlessly with the nation's wider macroeconomic objectives, strengthening the transport and storage sector's contribution to gross domestic product.

By systematically modernising land transport corridors and enhancing inter-governorate connectivity, Oman is actively reinforcing its foundation as a competitive regional logistics and trade hub. These targeted investments not only streamline domestic mobility and commercial freight movement but also directly support local employment generation, sustainable industrial growth, and long-term economic prosperity across the Sultanate.