Footage released by aerial photography firm Ot Sky shows the initiation of construction on The Line megacity, which is part of the Neom plan in Saudi Arabia.
The drone video depicts the development of the linear city, which is being developed in Saudi Arabia’s northwest.
In the footage, several excavators can be seen digging a huge linear trench in the desert. The city’s foundations, estimated to be 170 kilometres long, are expected to be built within the trench.
According to The National, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced The Line’s designs. It will be the world’s first city to be powered entirely by renewable energy sources such as wind, sun, and hydrogen.
The Line’s inhabitants will live in interconnected civilizations managed by artificial intelligence built to coexist with nature. The future development will prioritize walkability, sustainable energy, and technology to create a new way of life.
According to sources, NEOM plans to construct twin buildings 500 metres (1,640 feet) tall that will spread horizontally for dozens of miles.
The city is barely 200 metres wide, yet 170 kilometres long and 500 metres above sea level, according to the NEOM website.
“There will be no roads, cars or emissions. It will run on 100% renewable energy, and 95% of the land will be preserved for nature. People’s health and wellbeing will be prioritized over transportation and infrastructure, unlike traditional cities, “the official website said.
Following the project’s announcement, many people were sceptical that it would be built. However, the footage shows that construction on the megacity has begun.
In an exclusive interview, Tarek Qaddumi, Neom’s executive director for urban planning, told Dezeen that The Line megacity will “revolutionize our current way of life” and will be net-zero over its lifetime.
The project is already off to a difficult start, as dreadful things are already started to happen. Earlier this week, human rights organization ALQST reported that three men forcibly evicted from the Neom site had been sentenced to death.
Well, these incidents are commonplace in Saudi Arabia. However, what is disturbing is the fact that the kingdom is committing blatant human rights violations and simultaneously planning a “utopian fantasy” is particularly jarring.
Even if we put aside the glaring human rights violations, the project is bizarre and looks like a real-world copy of the train in the sci-fi thriller “Snow piercer”.