Saudi Arabia has halted construction of The Line, a planned linear megacity within the NEOM development zone in the northwest desert [1], [3].
The pause represents a significant shift for the kingdom's efforts to diversify its economy away from oil. As a centerpiece of the broader NEOM project, the city was designed to showcase futuristic urban living on a scale never before attempted.
Construction of the project was paused in 2024 [1], [2]. The decision followed a series of delays and mounting technical and economic challenges that rendered the original vision unrealistic [1], [5].
The project was envisioned as a mirrored skyscraper city stretching across the landscape. While some reports describe the planned length as 100 miles [4], others place the total distance at 105 miles [3]. The estimated cost to complete The Line alone was $500 billion [3].
This megacity is part of the wider NEOM redevelopment, which carries an overall budget of $2 trillion [4]. The project aimed to create a sustainable, car-free urban environment, but the sheer scale of the infrastructure requirements created immense pressure on the timeline and budget.
Government officials have not provided a specific date for when work might resume. The pause comes as the kingdom evaluates the feasibility of its most ambitious architectural goals, balancing the desire for global prestige with the practicalities of desert construction and financial sustainability.
“The decision followed a series of delays and mounting technical and economic challenges.”
The suspension of The Line suggests a pivot toward pragmatism in Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. By pausing a project with a $500 billion price tag, the government is acknowledging that the technical requirements of a 100-mile linear city may exceed current engineering and financial capacities, potentially leading to a scaled-back version of the NEOM master plan.
