The ambitious “SciFi City” project in Saudi Arabia, spearheaded by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, aims to establish a cutting-edge city driven by science and technology, incorporating robotics, IoT, and other advanced systems. However, recent developments suggest that this grand vision may be encountering obstacles.
Under Mission 2030, there’s a concerted effort to diminish the reliance on oil in Saudi Arabia. Numerous projects are underway to achieve this goal, including the Line Project or Neom City. However, reports indicate that this particular Saudi project is encountering setbacks. Remarkably, the city’s length has been scaled down drastically to a mere 2.4 kilometers.
A Saudi prince has ambitious plans to construct a simulated moon, the world’s tallest skyscrapers, and a futuristic city. Significant investments have been allocated to 15 projects in Saudi Arabia, but the Saudi Line initiative faces formidable challenges. Experts argue that the technology required for the envisioned city has yet to be developed, highlighting the ongoing reliance on oil as a significant obstacle to overcome.
The Line project in Saudi Arabia plans to construct a city stretching 170 kilometers long and 200 meters wide. However, analysts have long harbored doubts about its feasibility. According to a report by Bloomberg, a former employee of the project has indicated significant discrepancies between the project’s vision and its actual progress, suggesting it may be far from realization. Bloomberg’s investigation in 2022 uncovered numerous failures surrounding the project. Furthermore, the government has not disclosed the budget for NEOM City in the 2024 fiscal year.
The envisioned Neom city, originally planned as a sprawling 170-kilometer-long and 200-meter-wide metropolis enclosed by a glass wall, boasted a plethora of luxurious amenities. With a target population of 1.5 million residents by 2030, it was designed to be a hub where robots and artificial intelligence would cater to every need. However, recent developments suggest a shift in plans, with proposals now aiming to accommodate only 300,000 inhabitants. Additionally, the once expansive dimensions of Neom City have been scaled down drastically to a mere 2.4 kilometers in length.
