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JEDDAH — Emir of Makkah and Adviser to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Khaled Al-Faisal said on Wednesday that the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) has secured land for building a new airport in the southern coastal city of Qunfudah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
"Qunfudah Airport is now in its final stages of planning. GACA and the municipality have agreed on the project site and referred it to the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs for final approval. There is no problem with regard to land for the airport. GACA is preparing to present the project to the private sector to begin construction," Prince Khaled said after touring development projects in a number of governorates in the region.
The airport project is part of an overall plan to expand the Kingdom’s aviation network and build new airports. The proposed site for the airport is in Jabal Murshid area, southeast of the port city.
Prince Khaled put the total value of the projects that have been carried out and being carried out in the governorates of Laith, Qunfudah, Adham and Al-Aradhiyat at more than SR9 billion.
Prince Khaled said he was happy with the progress of projects that are being carried out in the region. "The projects that have stalled number only a few," he said.
The prince said he was pleased with the spirit of young men and women he met during his visits to the governorates.
Prince Khaled said demands by young Saudis have changed now from what he used to hear seven years ago. He said the calls at this stage are for setting up of new colleges of science and technology and improving telecommunication networks. "People in every village and city are keen to see their telecommunication services facilitated. This is the new reality of life," he said.
While chairing the local council meeting in Qunfudah, Prince Khaled stressed the importance of integration between all government and private sectors to achieve the aspired development goals.
He said the transformation the Qunfudah governorate has witnessed indicates the care and attention the Saudi leadership accords to the nation as well as the citizen’s participation in giving a push to the wheel of development.
He said 302 projects are being carried out in Qunfudah in education, health, municipal services and investment sectors. They include two university projects in the northern and eastern parts of the governorate. The number of municipal projects that have been carried out in Qunfudah, Hali, Al-Mudhaileef, Al-Gowz and Sabt Al-Jarah exceeded 83.
