Saudi Arabia’s boldest urban experiment, The Line, is no longer just an ambitious blueprint—it’s becoming a visible reality in the desert.
Giles Pendleton, Chief Operating Officer of The Line, released striking aerial images showing significant construction milestones along the planned 170-kilometer stretch of the linear city. The photos reveal early-stage structures, extensive groundwork, and supporting infrastructure beginning to carve their shape across the barren landscape of Tabuk Province.
Describing the update on LinkedIn, Pendleton remarked:
“A good snapshot 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.”
He added that the bird’s-eye view “shows things from a very different viewpoint from the air.”
Among the developments highlighted, the 200-meter-wide outline of the futuristic city has become visible, etched into the desert floor. More than 60 wind turbines have been installed, contributing renewable energy to the sprawling construction site. Worker camps and support settlements have been established nearby, underscoring the scale of labor mobilization involved in the project. Meanwhile, construction activity is rapidly advancing at Oxagon, Neom’s industrial hub and logistics base, signaling progress across several dimensions of the megaproject.
Launched as the centerpiece of Vision 2030 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, The Line is pitched as a vertical smart city—two mirrored 500-meter-high skyscrapers running parallel for 170 kilometers. Designed to house up to 9 million residents eventually, it aims to deliver an eco-friendly urban experience within a compact 200-meter width, removing the need for roads or cars.
Still, the ambitious scope of the project has not been free of controversy. Critics continue to question its feasibility, environmental impact, and human rights concerns, particularly surrounding the treatment of migrant workers at construction sites.
Although The Line is projected to accommodate 1.5 million people by 2030, only around 2,800 workers and staff currently reside on-site, according to Neom’s official data. The entire project is primarily backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which controls $700 billion in assets, more than half of which is tied up in Neom’s developments.
Despite the visible progress, the road ahead is steep. Given the unprecedented scale and complexity of The Line, meeting the 2030 deadline remains uncertain. Delays or adjustments could be likely as technical, logistical, and geopolitical challenges evolve.
