January 28, 2022/ Socotra Online
Reporting: Editorial Team
Nazim bin Qabalan, Senior Deputy Head of the Transitional Council in Socotra Governorate, inaugurated yesterday a project to rehabilitate and maintain Aqaba and the vital Haibaq Road, with the support of the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation.
The project targeted Haibaq Road, one of the most dangerous roads on the island, which suffers from continuous sand and rock collapses, especially during the rains. It was the main and vital road linking Hadiboh to the western and southern regions, as well as the airport and other vital facilities.
The project, during its three successive phases, was working to remove the sand and rock mass located in the area affected by the landslides caused by previous hurricanes, estimated at about 70,000 tons, followed by placing protection along the road in both mountainous and coastal directions, which would prevent landslides.
The length of the project is more than 200 meters in length, and the width of the road was widened to 50 meters in both directions, in addition to installing lighting along the road to end the danger facing pedestrians.
At the inauguration, Nazim bin Qabalan confirmed that the project was one of the vital and important projects because of the danger it caused to pedestrians and continuous interruptions due to the collapse and erosion of the soil from which he suffers.
He pointed out that the expansion and rehabilitation works witnessed by the project were of great importance in securing the movement of movement in various circumstances without any concerns. He also valued the support provided by the Khalifa Foundation in terms of development, vital and service projects that represented the main axis in the stability of the governorate’s situation in all fields.
For his part, Raed Al-Juraibi, Senior Undersecretary of the Governorate, indicated that the inauguration of work today on the project to expand and rehabilitate the Aqabat Haibaq Road is of great importance in ending the damage suffered by the road as a result of soil erosion from the mountain range located along the road.
He added, saying that we were happy to implement such projects that serve Socotra and its people, appreciating the role of the brothers in the UAE for their continuous support and the great interest they had in developing the island and enhancing its stability.
The inauguration was attended by Abdul Salam Al-Jamahi, Director General of Public Works and Roads; Brigadier General Ali Muhammad Al-Dixami, Director General of Police; Brigadier General Mohsen Al-Hajj, Commander of the 1st Marine Brigade; and chiefs of population centers and sheikhs of tribes and regions.
