Jordanian Prime Minister, Dr. Omar Razzaz, has headed to the Desert highway today to check on the maintenance project on the road.

During his visit, Razzaz was briefed on the project's operation and the main difficulties facing workers.

The PM confirmed that "the project will be completed by the end of this year, in commitment to what the government pledged before his Majesty King Abdullah II while presenting the most prominent projects in 2020, and in line with what the government presented before the House of Representatives during the discussion of this year’s budget".

“The desert road claimed the lives of thousands of Jordanians over the years and during the maintenance work, workers have faced some obstacles which caused the delay in completing the project," he added.

In coordination with the Minister of Public Works and Housing, Eng. Falah Al-Amoush, the government, follows up on the project with the project's contractor and handles any obstacles that may face workers.

The Prime minister called on the drivers to be cautious and avoid violating the traffic instructions while driving on the road to avoid accidents.

The Desert Highway is 217 kilometers in length and is the main road that leads to Aqaba’s port and connects Jordan with Saudi Arabia through Al Mudawwarah border crossing.

The project includes renovating the entire road to build a new highway with three lanes on each side, while the third lane will be for heavy vehicles.

The total cost of the project stands at JD 229 million ($324), as JD 97 million ($138) of the project funds came from a grant from the Saudi Fund for Development and JD 74 million ($105) came from a loan from the fund, while the remaining cost of the project will be covered by the government.

رئيس الوزراء الدكتور عمر الرزاز يتفقد مشروع الطريق الصحراوي، ويطلع على مراحل ونسب الإنجاز فيه، ويؤكد انتهاءه هذا العام. #عاجل pic.twitter.com/TskJqDtINa

— Prime Ministry JO (@PrimeMinistry) January 26, 2020