Zarqa residential city project to start in August
Jordan Times
July 30, 2007
King urges speedy work on "King Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz Al Saud Residential
City" designed to ensure citizens reasonably-priced housing
By Mohammad Ghazal
AMMAN -- King Abdullah on Monday issued instructions to the government to
accelerate efforts to build the King Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz Al Saud
Residential City In Zarqa.
Works in the residential project, announced in June during a visit by Saudi King
Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz, will start in August.
"This is the largest residential project in the history of the Kingdom and I
want it to be implemented as soon as possible and without any obstacles to
reduce the cost of housing units for citizens," King Abdullah said at a
meeting with officials in charge of the mega housing scheme held at Bayt Al
Urdun.
In a related development, the Monarch tasked Prince Feisal with chairing a Royal
committee to follow up on the implementation of the 70,000-unit housing project.
Minister of Public Works and Housing Hosni Abu Gheida told reporters following
the meeting that construction work on the first phase of the multimillion-dinar
project, to be built on 21,164 dunums of state-owned lands, will start next
month, adding that the first phase will be constructed over 2,300 dunums.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit stressed that the government is
committed to taking all necessary measures to reduce the cost of the housing
units in response to the King's directives.
The premier added that the government has completed the Amman Master Plan and
has already embarked on implementing similar plans in seven main cities in the
country, including Zarqa.
The project is designed to house 370,000 citizens, with the cost of each
apartment previously estimated at JD30,000, but Abu Gheida said yesterday it is
too early to speak of prices at this stage. Each apartment's area will range
from 100-160 square metres.
Local banks, mainly Islamic, will be contracted to provide loans to citizens at
government-subsidised interest rates over 20 years. The cost of the land on
which the city will be built was estimated at JD600 million, while another
JD650 million of government funds will go to infrastructure projects.
The scheme seeks to enhance the living standards of the citizens in Zarqa
Governorate, help low- and limited-income citizens own their houses and reduce
the population density in the governorate from 175.3 persons per square
kilometre to the general average in the Kingdom of 61.6 persons per square
metre.
It also seeks to create investment climate and economic activities that help
reduce the poverty ratio.
In addition, it will house a large mosque that accommodates 5,000 worshippers
and include a conventions centre, as well as a library in addition to an
educational centre, National Resources Investment and Development Corporation
(MAWARED) General Manager Akram Abu Hamdan said in a presentation yesterday.
He said the project will also house banks, commercial centres and private sector
libraries, sport and recreational facilities, along with schools, state
agencies, healthcare centres, police and civil defence stations, youth centres,
bus terminals, post offices and public parks and gardens.
The urban facilities will be replacing army camps that have been relocated.
State-owned MAWARED, the key developer, has set up a subsidiary to handle the
project. It has partnered with private sector firms and Saudi companies to
implement the mega project.