Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar

:: The Riyadh Metro project is 54 percent complete and on schedule, Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar, chairman of the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh, said Thursday following the second meeting of the commission at its headquarters in the capital.

The metro network will constitute the backbone of the public transport system in Riyadh. It will comprise six lines at a total length of 176km, plus 85 stations.

It will connect King Khalid International Airport, King Abdullah Financial District, main universities, downtown and the public transport center.

The meeting reviewed the results of a population satisfaction survey on the quality of life in Riyadh to monitor residents’ concerns on a wide range of services and urban and development issues, said Ibrahim Al-Sultan, chairman of the Center for Projects and Planning in Riyadh.

It was conducted to reveal and understand the attitudes and future needs of the population, he added.

The study revealed that 76 percent of respondents consider life in Riyadh “better than five years ago,” and are very satisfied with their lives; 88 percent are confident in their future and expect the best in the next five years; and 98 percent feel safe in public places and on the roads.

The survey showed that population satisfaction has increased on issues such as improving public transport, parks and recreational facilities.

The meeting discussed the outcomes of the comprehensive plan to achieve Riyadh Smart City, which aims to expand the use of technical solutions to systems in various aspects of the city.

It reviewed progress in implementing the Traffic Signal Management and Control Project in Riyadh, which includes implementation of the latest intelligent transport systems and programming of traffic signals to increase road network efficiency and improve traffic flow.

Contracts were given to implement a project to reduce groundwater levels in the neighborhoods of Laban, Tuwaiq and Darul Beidha, as well as in Mansouriya district.