Abandoned cars to be towed away

Tourism bosses want to make Yiti a riviera for the Gulf region

MUSCAT: More than 450 cars, long abandoned in Muscat, will be towed away if their owners do not remove them, according to officials in Muscat Municipality.

An eyesore

Abandoned cars, a constant eyesore for residents, which also harms the appearance of the city, are often seen gathering dust close to car workshops and in public car parks. MUSCAT: Ambitious plans to create a multi-million rial Oman riviera are set to rise from the ashes, after a tourism think tank resurrected the project.

Eight years ago, work on the ambitious Yiti golf resort project stopped due to the global credit crunch. All that remains at the scenic fishing village near Muscat is a canal built by previous developers.

But tourism executives and ministry officials, meeting at the recent Tanfeedh tourism lab, have decided the project should go ahead to transform that corner of the Sultanate into a Riviera for the Gulf.

Some villagers in Yiti have been relocated while those who chose to stay are eagerly awaiting news about jobs at the new development.

“The project is going to begin soon,” Shukoor Ghammari, a Tourism Lab participant at the recent Tanfeedh think tank and shura council member, told

confirming the new plans for the project.

According to the Majlis Al Shura member, Ali Al Jabri, though development has been on the table for eight years, Yiti is ready to move forward.

“Nothing has started, but the project has been handed to the Oman Investment Fund,” Al Jabri said.

“In preparation for the development, villagers were relocated years ago. Everything is ready, they just have to start,” he added.