Madinat Al Irfan Development Company, a partnership between leading Omani tourism group Omran and UAE-based Majid Al Futtaim Properties, has signed a deal with Oman Cycling Association (OCA) to exchange experiences on how to further the integration of cycling activities into its 5-million-sq-m project.

A new integrated urban district, Madinat Al Irfan is centrally located in Muscat’s urban growth corridor and the development will create a modern downtown for residents, businesses and visitors.
 
The mixed-use community will boast more than 11,000 residential units comprising villas, townhouses and apartments besides 100,000 sq m of retail space, 700,000 sq m of office space, as well as a number of cultural and lifestyle venues.

The Phase One of the project covers more than 250,000 sq m of land and is scheduled for completion by 2023. said a statement from Madinat Al Irfan Development Company.

With the enabling earthworks for the construction of Madinat Al Irfan Experience Centre kicking off in 2019, this first building is set to be completed by the year-end, it added.

The signing agreement was held following the official visit to Oman by David Lappartient, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) - the world’s governing body for cycling, who was briefed by Madinat Al Irfan executives on the plans to integrate a comprehensive cycling infrastructure into the early stages of the development.

Commenting on the key milestone, Executive Manager Talib Omar Al Bulooshi said: “Madinat Al Irfan’s vision is to be a city for the future. We aspire to offer its residents and visitors a planned, sustainable and smart mixed-use urban environment."

"Madinat Al Irfan is inspired by best international planning practices and will be inspiring in its distinctively Omani contemporary life style offering. The collaboration with OCA will enable us to benefit from their experience to improve on the planned urban bikeways for daily transport and the more challenging off-road cycling trails that are already integrated into our Phase One master plan,” stated Al Bulooshi.

Lauding the initiative, Lappartient said: "Madinat Al Irfan vision is indeed inspiring and grand. I am very happy to know that cycling is already integrated into the planning of the city from an infrastructure and lifestyle perspective, an opportunity that not too many cities have."

"Cycling is an environmentally-friendly form of transport that will deliver both environmental and social benefits for Oman in the long-term," he noted.

OCA Chairman Saif Al Rashdi said it was indeed an incredible milestone to see cycling being integrated within one of Oman’s flagship new destinations.

"This initiative directly aligns with the government’s vision for sustainable developments, while promoting the healthier lifestyle that is at the core of our mission. Madinat Al Irfan’s geographical size and hilly terrain is a cyclist’s dream for a cyclo-city, that is integrated and safe to cycle through and full of challenges as well," added Al Rashdi.-TradeArabia News Service