A bulldozer clears away the aftereffect of a rock slide on Al-Hada Road in Taif, Friday. — Okaz photo

By Muhammad Al-Zahrani
and Abdul Karim Al-Thiyabi
Okaz/Saudi Gazette

TAIF – The Ministry of Transport is currently studying ways to prevent further rockslides on Al-Hada Mountain Road which have caused problems in three areas for motorists in the past.
The road will remain closed until these solutions are found, said Abdullah Al-Muqbil, Undersecretary for Roads, Ministry of Transport, after an inspection on Friday.
“There are urgent solutions for this road but we’re still discussing them with the Saudi Geological Survey and King Abdul Aziz University’s geology department. Once we have reached a consensus, we’ll start implementing these solutions.”
Concrete walls might be built on the road at all three locations to increase protection and prevent the re-occurrence of past incidents, he pointed out. “If it is safe, we’ll open the road.”
Brig. Muhammad Al-Shehri, Taif Civil Defense director, said there are many rocks on top of the mountain that might fall. “Workers are trying to remove the boulders before they fall down on the road.” Al-Muqbil met with representatives of the company in charge of work on the road and praised their performance. He said all companies on site were doing good work.