RAK to upgrade road infrastructure with an investment of Dhs3bn

Speaking at the Ras Al Khaimah Conference 2008, organised jointly by the Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA) and MEED here, 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 around 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 AED 2 to 3 billion over a four to five year period, part of that will be funded locally and part of that 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 Shawkah 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 also aims to help the industrial and manufacturing economy which figures prominently in the emirate's plans for the future and to take forward the vision of H.H. Sheikh Saud who is passionate about providing development role to the people of Ras Al Khaimah, living both in the rural and urban areas," David Yaw added.
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.

David Yaw said that RAK Government is currently setting up a sewerage network involving an investment of Dhs360m in two phases along with a waste water treatment plant incurring another investment of Dhs60m.