$1.5 BILLION DOLLAR TUNNEL AND ROAD PROJECT BY PASSING THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ OPENS

By-passing the Straits of Hormuz, a new $1.5 billion tunnel and road project completed its final stage of connectivity on Saturday 14 April, connecting the port city of Khorfakken at the east coast with Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

The 89KM road and tunnel project was inaugurated by the Ruler of Sharjah, who set explosion to blast the last remaining rock in the tunnel of Al Sadra, made the 2.7 km tunnel the longest covered tunnel in the Middle East. 

00’00-00’09: aerial shot of part of the Khorffakkan Road

00’09-00’23: various Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, arrives at Al Sadra tunnel

00’23-00’57: various Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi sets explosion to blast the last remaining rock inside Al Sadra Tunnel

00’57-01’22: various Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi gives a speech during a gathering

01’22-02’08 SOUNDBITE with cutaways (in Arabic) Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi: 

‘I told him, Khamis, I will make stairs here to simplify the way and he answered me back (that  you are generous)  but then I told him that next time I will not pass by there!  He asked me from where then? I told him from here. He wondered: “by that mountain up there! how?” I said: “Through the mountain.” He replied: “but Sheikh! Nobody managed to pass through there.” I said: “with the strength of God we will pass; if we go through these mountains we will reach Khorfakkan.” He told me it's going to cost us a lot of money but I told him: “no not expensive but even though I put all Sharjah’s budget in it, we will make it happen.”’

02’08-02’12: aerial shot of Sheikh and his entourage drive into Al Sadra Tunnel

02’12-03’10: various interior Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi arrives inside Al Sadra Tunnel and witnesses historical reunion of the two leaders from both sides of the tunnel.

03’10-03’29: various Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi receives greeting and leaves the tunnel with crowd.

03’29-04’04: various cars and buses drive through the tunnel

04’04-04’30: various entourage of Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi leaves the event.