Saudi Arabia's ambitious giga project, The Line, is undergoing a dramatic transformation.
The project was initially planned to span an impressive 105 miles, it is now being downsized significantly to 1.5 miles.
This adjustment has captured attention and raised questions about the future of this grand project.
At first, The Line was planned as a large city with advanced cognitive features.
It was imagined to be a stunning architectural marvel, stretching across an impressive distance of 170 kilometers or 105 miles.
The Neom website highlights its beauty, emphasizing that it would span from the majestic Neom mountains, pass through breathtaking desert valleys, and extend to the peaceful Red Sea.
The initial vision showcased the grandeur and beauty of this ambitious project, capturing the imagination of many.
However, recent developments reveal a significant change in plans, as The Line is now being scaled down to a mere 1.5 miles, raising questions about its future and the reasons behind this substantial reduction in size.
The insiders have informed Bloomberg that the Saudi Arabian government's initial plan to house 1.5 million people in The Line by 2030 has been downsized.
Instead, officials now expect a population of less than 300,000 residents by that year. Furthermore, it is estimated that only a small portion of the original length, around 2.4 kilometers or 1.4 miles, will be finished.
However, despite the slower development, other aspects of the Neom project are still moving forward.
The choice to reduce the size of The Line comes amidst the pending budget approval for Neom, indicating the government's worries as it works towards realizing its Vision 2030 initiative.
However, experts highlight that such extensions will ultimately have positive effects on the economy.
Nadhmi Al-Nasr, the CEO of Neom, expressed a strong belief in overcoming obstacles and successfully finishing the project.
He emphasized the significance of handling future challenges at present.
Nadhmi firmly declared that Neom is ready to engage in business, underscoring its unwavering commitment to reshaping the future.
The downsizing of The Line project has caught the attention of social media users.
Some questioned the need and purpose of projects like The Line and Songdo which seem to be built without clear benefits and may be abandoned in the future.
Someone else pointed out that the size reduction is a significant underestimation of the project's cost and resources.
Additionally, there are concerns about how the city will produce enough food without sufficient farmland.
I’d like my deposit back for room 100,000,003 then, one user joked.
Mental how people are struggling so hard right now but places like this and Songdo are being/have been built for no apparent reason, benefit or purpose just to be abandoned at a later date, the second user shared their thoughts.
That’s a sizeable underestimate of cost and resource then. 70x smaller!! Another pointed out.
Where will they farm all the food to supply this city?There is an incredible lack of fields & cropland to sustain this endeavor, someone said.
