Planning of National Transport Infrastructure
In the Islamic Countries
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3.6. Oman
The Sultanate of Oman has experienced an economic and social upturn since 1970’s that has
driven the development of a modern country. In recent years, the Sultanate has made substantial
investments in transport infrastructure as part of the overall strategy of diversifying its
economy, which revolves around the production and export of natural gas and oil. Oman has a
population of over 4 million people, of which 30% –around 1.2 million people– live in the capital
Muscat of which around 40% are Omani national and 60% are expatriates from Bangladesh,
India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Philippines, Ethiopia or Egypt. The population of Muscat is essentially
private vehicle dependent, the number of registered vehicles has increased at about 9.3% every
year41. As a result, accident rates and traffic congestion, have become pressing issues. Due to
the lack of public transport, mobility has been a problem for workers – most of whom are
expatriates. Although the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Oman has not drafted a
national transport plan because transport infrastructure is one part of the National
Development Plan they have prepared a Public Transport Master Plan (PTMP) for Muscat in
2017, which fits the more conventional understanding of a transport plan. The Vision of the
PTMP is the development of a high quality and sustainable public transport system in Muscat as
a real alternative to private cars, in order to reduce automobile dependency and to improve
accessibility, safety, urban environment and quality of life in Muscat by achieving a 25% public
transport modal split by the year 2040. This case study focuses on the Muscat Transport Plan as
source of information regarding procedure and data whilst also using information from the
development of road, rail, air, maritime and pipeline transport.
3.6.1. Political and Legislation Factors
In 2016 a Royal Decree was issued that initiated the 9th Five Year Plan of the Sultanate of Oman
and the first plan that sets out to achieve Oman’s Vision 2040. The process amply shows that
planning is centrally controlled by the Sultan who rules by decree and ruling by decree obviates
the necessity for policy, consequently there is no transport policy in Oman. By policy it is meant
a set of principles that provides the direction needed for governments to make long term
changes. Such principles then provide the rationale to resolve issues in a certain way. Bear in
mind that the definition of an issue is a topic of debate and not a problem. Issues never go away.
Take the issue of how to resolve traffic congestion or conversely how to improve traffic flow;
should it be by building more infrastructure to maintain a high level of independent mobility
using private transport, or should it be the opposite, to restrain traffic and promote public
transport. Such issues have socio-economic and moral ramifications such as freedom and the
right to personal mobility and this is why policy making is recommended.
The 9th Plan was driven by the need to promote economic diversity due to various challenges
but mostly due to the fluctuation in international oil prices, the geopolitical and regional
circumstances and the youth employment. The plan focussed on building transformational
industries, logistics services, fisheries and mining. Given the highly centralised planning
processes, the plan was the most participative so far with representatives from the government
sector, the private sector, the civil society and youth institutions. This may partly be explained
41 According to the Royal Oman Police.