Saudi Arabia Seeks Answers on World's Biggest Construction Site
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Saudi Arabia's flagship urban development, The Line, entered a critical phase of evaluation this week, as the kingdom's Public Investment Fund (PIF) engaged external consulting firms to assess the feasibility of the megaproject.
The review aims to determine whether project goals remain attainable amid rising costs, shifting timelines, and a downturn in oil revenues.
Newsweek contacted the Public Investment Fund and Neom by email for comment.
The Context
The Line was first announced as a "linear city" of the Neom development, stretching 105 miles, featuring twin 500-meter-tall skyscrapers and promising residents that all daily needs would be met within a five-minute walk. The project was originally designed for nine million inhabitants, served by a high-speed train network, and to operate on zero emissions.
However, the scale and timeline of The Line have drawn skepticism, with reports last year suggesting that the project has been scaled back to house fewer than 300,000 people, though Saudi Arabia has not acknowledged reports of the change.
What To Know
Now, it appears that officials are accepting the project's scope may have to be reigned in, with Saudi Arabia calling in consultants to assess whether or not the current approach is feasible.
The review will also include suggestions of alterations to the design, according to reports from Bloomberg. Newsweek could not verify these reports.
In a statement on the review process, a spokesperson for Neom said: "As is typical with large-scale, multiyear projects, strategic reviews are common practice and occur several times over the course of a major development project or infrastructure program.
Construction and rendered images of the Line, in Saudi Arabia, April 2025.
Construction and rendered images of the Line, in Saudi Arabia, April 2025.
NEOM
"The Line remains a strategic priority and Neom is focused on maintaining operational continuity, improving efficiencies and accelerating progress to match the overall vision and objectives of the project."
Despite the ambitious targets, progress on The Line has been limited. Satellite images published by Newsweek in April showed large-scale excavation and support-zone development near the site, with around 2,800 workers and staff housed in custom-built accommodations.
However, independent evidence of progress on the skyscraper elements remains limited. There were also allegations of labor abuses—particularly involving foreign workers—raised in the British TV documentary Kingdom Uncovered: Inside Saudi Arabia, which claimed that some workers at NEOM were treated as "trapped slaves" and "beggars."
In response, the Saudi Arabian National Council for Occupational Safety and Health told Newsweek: "In reference to the misinformation circulating across various media platforms—particularly claims suggesting an increase in worker fatalities linked to working conditions in Saudi Arabia, accompanied by unfounded statistics lacking credible sources—the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health in Saudi Arabia unequivocally refutes these assertions.
"The council affirms the work-related fatalities in Saudi Arabia is 1.12 per 100,000 workers. This figure positions Saudi Arabia among the lowest globally in terms of work-related fatalities.
"The International Labour Organization [ILO] acknowledges this progress, highlighting on its official website that Saudi Arabia has made significant advancements in improving occupational safety and health and reducing workplace accidents at the national level.
"Similar commendations have been offered by other reputable international organizations, including the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management and the British Safety Council.
"Additionally, Saudi labor laws mandate that employers provide comprehensive health insurance that covers essential preventive, therapeutic, and health care services for all employees. Regulations also restrict work under direct sunlight during the summer months and establish working hours in accordance with international standards set forth in relevant ILO agreements. We emphasize the importance of verifying information and sourcing it from credible outlets."
What People Are Saying
Giles Pendleton, chief operating officer of The Line, said in a post promoting its progress on LinkedIn: "A good snap shot of progress and a range of NEOM infrastructure projects from the water pipeline to new camps completing to massive amount of work in Oxagon harbor. ... All are going well and shows things from a very different view point from the air."
What Happens Next
The review process being undertaken by consulting firms will inform the Saudi Public Investment Fund's final decision on project scale and priorities. It will determine whether or not the city will meet its 2030 deadline.
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