Planning of National Transport Infrastructure
In the Islamic Countries
130
Figure 36: Oman State Road Network
Source
However, the SCP recognises that the Oman rail network is rather limited to the narrow gauge
for mining industrial lines and investment in an interregional Gulf railway has long been
envisaged but is nowmore firmly planned. Therefore, Oman Rail has the mandate to develop the
rail network as a major step in Oman's journey to become a key logistics hub for the region. The
rail network is being built in conjunction with other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member
countries to connect rail services within the Gulf countries. The 2,135 km rail network - the
country’s first - is connecting major Oman Ports of Sohar, Duqm and Salalah, to the GCC and
consequently wide region. And yet despite the absence of rail in the transport mix, the extent of
complementarity of road, rail, air and water based transport modes was considered to be high.
Accordingly, the vision is to develop the rail network that facilitates the growth of a new logistics
industry so that it becomes a significant contributor to GDP. Oman has a vision of becoming the
region’s gateway, but this is also the vision of other neighbouring countries. The interplay
between both cooperating and competing with neighbouring countries is worth noting, as it
supports the need for more economic prudence in the face of declining oil revenues.