Mwasalat, Oman’s state-run transport company, plans to launch a number of new routes connecting various townships and cities in the country, a report said.

The company will initially launch a new service to Al Khoudh in July, connecting Sultan Qaboos University and Burj Al Sahwa Roundabout, according to the Oman Observer report.

“Preliminary studies suggest opening new routes will be successful as they will serve a large segment of citizens and residents in the Sultanate,” Salim bin Mohammed al Nuaimi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Communications for Transport and Chairman of Mwasalat Board, was quoted as saying in the report.

During Ramadan, there will be eight and five buses a day both to and from Sohar and Nizwa, respectively, in addition to increase in the number of buses to Salalah during khareef season, he said.

Al Nuaimi revealed that a study is in progress to find out the feasibility of introducing inter-city services to link major cities in other governorates with Muscat. “One-bus-a-day service on Muscat-Duqm route will be launched in the third quarter of this year. The frequency could be increased after the evaluation of the first phase,” he said.

According to Al Nuaimi, the company has already chalked out a master plan for the next 20 years, which will be unveiled in October.

“The aim is to achieve the highest growth rates in accordance with the quality standards with respect to public transport to reduce traffic congestion, enhance economic and social benefits by the implementation of the public transport system and to revitalise the commercial and tourism activity and the associated services,” he said.

“The strategy is being implemented through the purchase of new buses to support the sector and there are plans that will be announced in the second half of this year with respect to the Governorate of Muscat and the rest of the governorates,” he added.

Nearly 1.1 million passengers used our buses until the end of March this year and since the start of operations with the new brand in the Governorate of Muscat on November 22, 2015 at a rate of 9,000 passengers a day, Al Nuaimi said.