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By Theo Burman
Live News Reporter
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The high-speed rail project designed to support Saudi Arabia's largest construction endeavor has reached a new milestone.
The Spine, a transport tunnel designed to provide public transport to The Line megacity, has had its infrastructure corridor completed ahead of schedule, according to China-based developer XCMG Machinery, which is leading the construction work.
XCMG said that ten high-capacity rotary drilling rigs were currently in use at the building site, located in Northwest Saudi Arabia.
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The Spine was envisioned as a way to reach one end of The Line from the other in 20 minutes, covering the full length of the proposed 170-kilometer structure. High-speed rail would run across the entirety of the linear city, though the original capabilities of the project have reportedly been lowered significantly.
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The Line megaproject, designed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is well underway, with an ambitious completion date of 2030. The city, which aims to be home to 9 million people, employs over 140,000 people for construction, with a further 300,000 jobs estimated to be created.
The Neom project claims to be the largest construction project on Earth, to diversify Saudi Arabia's economy beyond oil. The Line remains Neom's flagship project, though costs have already drastically exceeded the original estimates of $500 billion.
The Line has come under criticism from the international community for its ambition and feasibility, with original reports highlighting the cost, timeline, and building materials as major issues. The use of a proposed "data collection scheme" that would reimburse residents for the use of their data was also criticized.
Mohammed bin Salman has been personally involved in projects of this kind across the country. A theme park called Acquarabia, part of his goal to make Saudi Arabia into a tourist destination, is scheduled to open next year, though satellite imagery acquired by Newsweek indicates the site is still in construction phases.
The Line is not the only megaproject in construction for Saudi Arabia. The "Green Riyadh" reforestation effort is also underway- which aims to improve air quality and lower temperatures by planting more trees.
Like The Line, Green Riyadh describes itself as "one of the most ambitious urban forestation projects in the world," with the stated goal being to plant 7.5 million trees across the Saudi Arabian capital, in parks, mosques, schools and streets.
The Royal Commission for Riyadh City estimates that Green Riyadh will generate more than $19 billion in economic returns by 2030.
Newsweek contacted Neom for more information regarding progress on The Spine.
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