Mohammed Rasooldeen, Arab News
The otherwise busy Khurais Road in Riyadh was completely deserted on Saturday. (AN photo by Iqbal Hossein)
RIYADH, 18 November 2007 — Major highways leading to the venue of the OPEC Summit were closed yesterday so that the heads of state could reach their destination with a minimum of delay.
Khurais Road, stretching from Exit 13 to the Diplomatic Quarter, was completely deserted from 3 p.m. onward. It was under close watch by Royal Guards and elite commandos standing every 15 meters on either side of the road.
From Khurais Road to the Riyadh Airbase where most of the guests were arriving was also closed. Pedestrians were advised to avoid the sidewalks on either side of the highway and even standing on the walkway was prohibited.
Parking private vehicles along the highway was also forbidden. Officers working inside the Diplomatic Quarter were allowed to leave at 2 p.m. yesterday to enable them to reach home without being caught up in traffic jams.
Schools and government offices were closed yesterday to reduce traffic congestion on the roads. However, private sector employees and others had to spend extra time on the streets following the detours outlined by the traffic police.
A Traffic Department spokesman appealed to the motorists to cooperate with the authorities in order to ensure a smooth flow of traffic on the streets. He told Arab News that the department had mapped out a special route for motorists to reach their respective destinations without any hassles.
Despite the convenient diversions created by the police, there were traffic jams near the intersections at Takhasussi Road, King Abdul Aziz Street and Sitteen Street. Nasseriya District was heavily policed since the guests who were staying at the Riyadh Conference Palace had to pass through the area to reach the summit.
A Saudi motorist told Arab News that there was a smooth traffic flow despite the diversions. “It took only 30 minutes to go a distance which otherwise would have taken more than 45,” he said.
Dr. Dona said that she had traveled by the King Fahd Highway to reach her clinic and she had not encountered any problems in reaching there at 4 p.m. “Traffic arrangements were excellent and the police were very cooperative in easing the traffic jam,” she said.
The municipality has decorated Riyadh to give it a festive look. The city is dotted with a variety of national flags and billboards at large intersections to welcome the visiting heads of states. The roads, particularly those to be used by officials, are lined with flags of the OPEC member countries.
The entry of vehicles to the Diplomatic Quarter was as usual. An official at a foreign mission in the Diplomatic Quarter said that the traffic to and from the DQ was well handled by the DQ police.
Hotels in the city are fully occupied by dignitaries and large groups of foreign journalists.
According to reports from the Eastern Province, hotels and apartments there are full of Riyadh residents who have gone there with their families to spend the long weekend. Because of the school holidays, a good number of families from Riyadh have also gone for Umrah on a four-day package.
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