Using Laser Technology, Syria’s Transport Ministry Begins Road Assessment Ahead of Maintenance and Rehabilitation

Syria’s Ministry of Transport, in cooperation with Kuwait’s Combined Group Contracting Company, has launched a project to assess road conditions across Syria using modern laser technology, as part of efforts to improve infrastructure and enhance the efficiency of the transport sector.

Survey work began on the international highway linking Damascus and Nasib in both directions, using the ROMDAS LCMS system, which relies on laser devices and high-resolution cameras to produce 3D models of the road surface, allowing defects to be identified accurately.

Ahmed Abdul Rahman al-Maarouf, the company’s deputy chief executive officer, told Enab Baladi that the device was presented to the ministry as a grant aimed at conducting a comprehensive assessment of the road’s technical condition, under the supervision of a specialized team, in preparation for moving to maintenance and rehabilitation phases in line with approved standards.

Al-Maarouf said the assessment work has been completed, and the final report will be delivered within three to four weeks so the necessary steps can be taken.

Scaling Up the Project

Al-Maarouf said the experience will later be expanded to other roads in the provinces, as part of a development plan based on modern specifications aligned with European and Kuwaiti standards, helping ensure longer road life

The project’s technical director, Ibrahim Assi, also told Enab Baladi that the system used provides highly accurate 3D models and helps prepare precise bills of quantities for maintenance work.

Assi added that the device captures images at a resolution of 1 to 2.5 millimeters per pixel, in addition to 360-degree video footage to detect various defects. The data will later be processed to prepare detailed reports in cooperation with the Arab Center for Studies.

For his part, the company’s technical inspection expert, Somar al-Atrash, told Enab Baladi that the system scans a width of up to four meters while capturing accurate images of every section, allowing the data to be analyzed using artificial intelligence and enabling the preparation of detailed diagrams and bills of quantities for maintenance work.

Al-Atrash added that the next phase will include additional tests by taking periodic samples every kilometer to ensure the accuracy of the results and develop an integrated rehabilitation plan.

The project comes as part of the Ministry of Transport’s push to strengthen cooperation with Arab companies and benefit from modern expertise and technologies in developing the road network, “in a way that contributes to raising its efficiency and ensuring its sustainability,” according to the ministry.

Combined Group Contracting Company, CGC, was established in Kuwait in 1965 as a public shareholding company and was listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange in 2006. It is considered one of the region’s leading companies specializing in general contracting, infrastructure, and construction materials production, and has extensive experience in carrying out major projects, including roads, bridges, and tunnels.

Roads across Syria have suffered severe deterioration and extensive damage as a result of the war and the absence of regular maintenance for many years. Most roads in the provinces are marked by potholes and cracks that obstruct traffic and damage vehicles.

The situation worsens in winter, when potholes turn into water-filled hazards that threaten road safety and cause accidents, making urgent and comprehensive repairs necessary to address the effects of destruction and improve traffic safety.

Assessment of the Nasib-Bab al-Hawa Road

The Ministry of Transport has also begun a comprehensive technical assessment of the road linking the Nasib crossing on the Jordanian border and the Bab al-Hawa crossing on the Turkish border.

Transport Minister Yarub Badr said today, Wednesday, April 15, that the step aims to provide a precise engineering diagnosis of the road’s condition from various technical aspects, in preparation for launching a comprehensive rehabilitation project that would raise it to international standards, in line with the expected volume and density of transit traffic during the coming phase.

Badr told the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency, SANA, that the ministry has begun taking all the executive measures necessary to implement the memorandum of understanding signed on April 7 with Jordan and Turkey in the Jordanian capital, Amman. He stressed that the ministry is working according to a clear and integrated plan to ensure tangible results on the ground.

Implementing the Outcomes of the Trilateral Meeting

Minister Badr said these steps come within the framework of implementing the outcomes of the trilateral meeting of the Syrian, Jordanian, and Turkish transport ministers, which resulted in the signing of the memorandum aimed at enhancing cooperation in various transport fields and adopting an executive road map that defines the mechanisms and stages of work in the coming period, contributing to stronger regional connectivity and supporting trade and transport among the three countries.

He added that the ministerial meeting of the Syrian-Jordanian Higher Coordination Council, held on April 12 in Amman, discussed the importance of implementing the provisions of this memorandum and the agreed road map between the three countries, as well as ways to develop and simplify land transport procedures in a way that achieves the highest degree of flexibility and ease, helps reduce time and costs, and ultimately restores the direct transport system between the two countries, which would positively affect trade and economic activity.

Developing Cooperation With Jordan

The transport minister said Syria and Jordan reaffirmed their intention to continue developing cooperation across all modes of transport, with a focus on improving the working environment in the sector and removing obstacles that may hinder the smooth movement of goods and passengers.

Badr revealed that the ministry is working on preparing a comprehensive regional map for rail connectivity linking Turkey, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, including an accurate description of the condition of each section of the existing railway lines on this map, along with proposals for projects that could be undertaken in the future to revive this vital link.

He added that the map aims to connect the four countries and extend toward the Gulf states, strengthening Syria’s role as a key corridor in the regional transport network and supporting trade exchange and multimodal transport.

Badr said communication is ongoing with Jordan and Turkey, and that he has requested the naming of national coordinators to provide the Ministry of Transport with the necessary data and technical information, helping prepare this map in the required detail before it is finalized by the ministry and put forward for implementation within regional cooperation programs.

During April, a trilateral memorandum of understanding was signed by the transport ministers of Syria, Jordan, and Turkey to develop the transport sector and logistical connectivity, and to cooperate on implementing projects supported by digitization and investment through simplified regulations and smart solutions.

The memorandum of understanding comes as part of regional efforts to revive transport corridors between Turkey and Jordan through Syria, after years of disruption to international roads and railways caused by the war, damaged infrastructure, and the closure of several crossings. The three countries are now moving toward rehabilitating roads and railway links to boost transit movement and regional trade.

On April 12, the Syrian-Jordanian Higher Coordination Council, during its second session held in Amman, discussed the development of various sectors in Syria in cooperation with Jordan, including the transport sector.

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