Saudi Arabia’s most talked-about mega-project NEOM reiterates that work is moving ahead on all fronts even as a strategic evaluation of the city’s flagship The Line’s long-term scope is being undertaken.

“As is typical with large-scale, multi-year projects, strategic reviews occur several times over the course of a major development project or infrastructure programme,” NEOM has said.

“The Line remains a strategic priority and we are focused on maintaining operational continuity, improving efficiencies and accelerating progress to match the overall vision and objectives of the project,” it added.

The momentum on site supports this message. In his latest LinkedIn update (Part 26 of his “Inside The Line” series), Giles Pendleton, Chief Operating Officer of The Line, reaffirmed that the project is “taking shape at an incredible pace.”

He pointed out that the transformational project required an unprecedented approach to delivery .

Modular assets will be assembled off-site and transported into place.

The post featured a striking animation that offers a glimpse of upcoming construction stages, emphasising the use of modular, pre-engineered components and digital twin technology to accelerate delivery while maintaining quality and sustainability benchmarks. Pendleton’s post follows earlier updates highlighting what he described as the world’s largest piling operation—where over 16,000 piles, each measuring 2.5 m in diameter and extending 70 m deep, are being installed in the project’s first phase.

Meanwhile, the futuristic 170-km car-free city – central to the $500-billion NEOM development – is now under the lens of global consultants tasked with strategic review of the project and its implementation, according to a Bloomberg report. This move reflects the kingdom’s broader effort to align Vision 2030 investments with economic realities while reaffirming its commitment to transformational infrastructure and sustainable urbanism.

NEOM, a unit of the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund (PIF), is asking these firms to review the current plans for The Line and also to suggest possible changes, said the Bloomberg report quoting sources.

A 45,000-spectator stadium spans the portal area 380 m above ground, with a chandelier below.

“One big element that Neom is asking for is to look at commercialising aspects of the city and how it could turn into something that makes business sense,” Bloomberg reporter Abeer Abu Omar said on Bloomberg TV.

“We don’t know what the outcome is,” she continued. “It could be downsizing, it could be taking a different shape.”

Despite the review, Bloomberg reports suggest PIF may proceed with the current plan. Therefore, the evaluation appears to be a precautionary measure, not a sign of delays or scaling back.

The Line is envisioned as a 170-km-long, 500-m-high linear city, set to house up to nine million residents upon completion. It represents a paradigm shift in urban development through zero-emission, car-free, and vertically planned living (see also Gulf Construction, May 2025).

Entirely powered by renewable energy, The Line incorporates sustainability at every stage and aims to minimise human impact while maximising social livability and accessibility

The TBMs are now being prepared at the laydown site ahead of excavation.

Elsewhere within NEOM, Trojena – the high-altitude, year-round mountain tourism destination – has reached a major construction milestone with the delivery and assembly of two double-shield tunnel boring machines (TBMs).

These specialised machines, engineered to operate on steep gradients, will bore the “Time Travel Tunnel,” a pair of 3.8-km passages connecting the Mirage Visitor Centre to The Vault, Trojena’s futuristic vertical city hub.   Designed to traverse steep inclines, the route is considered a key piece of infrastructure within the NEOM mega-project.

Senior leadership from Trojena and Limak Al-Ayuni JV recently visited the site.

According to Trojena’s LinkedIn updates, the TBMs arrived at Oxagon’s Port of NEOM and are now being prepared at the laydown site ahead of excavation. Senior leadership from Trojena and its joint venture contractor, Limak Al-Ayuni JV, recently visited the site and reaffirmed that the project remains on schedule.

The tunnel is considered a critical link in enabling the unique infrastructure needed for ski, hospitality and recreation amenities at elevations of up to 2,600 m on Jebel Al Lawz.

Beyond tunnelling, construction across Trojena continues apace with development of essential road networks, mountain substations, a new fire station and utility systems.

 Trojena aims to become the Gulf region’s first fully outdoor ski destination, complete with 30 km of ski slopes, luxury hotels, and an artificial lake. It is set to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games.