A costly project in Saudi Arabia is being reevaluated after the £1.2 trillion plan may not now even be possible. The Line is a futuristic desert living space which could revolutionise the way people live.
It was meant to transform the sands into a solar-powered city with inhabitants to be living there by 2030. The grandeur of the area could rival the pyramids of Egypt, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman hoped. However, now the project has entered a new phase of evaluation with consultants checking if it is still a realistic plan.
Complications have arisen due to the falling price of oil which has increased the country’s deficit.
Millions have already been spent on the infrastructure project, reports Metro.
A spokesperson for Neom explained: “As is typical with large-scale, multiyear projects, strategic reviews are common practice and occur several times over the course of a major development project or infrastructure program.
“The Line remains a strategic priority and Neom is focused on maintaining operational continuity, improving efficiencies and accelerating progress to match the overall vision and objectives of the project.”
If the city is created, it would become the most densely populated place on earth, seven times more cramped than Singapore or Hong Kong.
The idea was first announced in 2021 with plans to create a green space, free of cars and crafted as one of the most advanced living spaces in the world.
With a tree-lined canal, towering skyscrapers and a picture-perfect set up, the Line will be a luxury space.
But not only this, there will even be robots and AI to assist those living there.
Engineerine says the project has led to the forced displacement of the Howeitat tribe, raising global human rights concerns.
There have also been reports of poor working conditions for construction laborers which have emerged, with activists calling for better labor rights protections.
Also, some workers and activists have criticised the lack of transparency in Saudi Arabia’s urban development plans.
So far, digging has begun to make space for where the structure would sit, but nothing has yet been built.