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RIYADH: New guidelines to unify safety standards and ensure residents are not affected by ongoing infrastructure projects in Riyadh are set to come into effect on Thursday.

The Infrastructure Projects Code provides a unified reference with standardized regulatory guidelines for government entities, utility service providers, contractors and consultants.

Fahad Al-Badah, the CEO of the Riyadh Infrastructure Projects Center, told Arab News about the capital’s projects in the coming years, with the city hosting major events such as the FIFA World Cup and World Expo.

He said that the volume of investments in infrastructure projects had exceeded SR1 trillion and included more than 1,000 existing and future schemes over the next five years.

He added: “The code today is in effect the result of an effective partnership between public and private sector workers, asset owners, and contractors.

“More than 100 challenges were addressed within this code to serve as a comprehensive technical reference.”

He said that the code was based on international best practices and standards, taking into account the rapid urban growth in Riyadh.

He added that the capital was witnessing significant growth in the number of projects, and noted that the number of infrastructure licenses had grown by 20 percent annually, reaching more than 150,000 by the end of last year, which was “a record number.”

He explained that the code included performance indicators to measure goals in terms of the number of licenses, safety rates and spending efficiency.

Al-Badah added: “The success of any initiative cannot be measured without an approved measurement mechanism.”

The code includes numerous regulations related to safety and barriers, licensing, execution quality, site cleanliness, signage and information boards, dust and waste control, and ensuring accessibility to homes and public facilities.

The code is also designed to improve work quality and compliance levels, enhance on-site conditions, and ensure the safety of residents, pedestrians and workers.

The code mandates that contractors provide safe pedestrian pathways, coordinate traffic movement, secure project sites around the clock, install standardized identification signage, use warning lighting, clean sites daily, and regularly update permits.