Friday 30 / May / 2025
Khasab: The development project of the historical Telegraph Island (Al-Maqlab) in Musandam Governorate has reached 50% completion. The project aligns with the governorate's efforts to achieve comprehensive economic development and enhance sustainable tourism initiatives.
Eng. Ahmed Mohammed Al Shehi, Director of the Projects Department at Musandam Municipality, stated that the Telegraph Island development project is based on several strategic objectives, including: reviving the site's historical significance by restoring remaining structures and presenting them in an engaging educational and touristic manner, promoting sustainable tourism to boost local community income and generate job opportunities, and preserving the island's natural environment and biodiversity—particularly given its location in a marine area rich in coral reefs and fish. Additionally, the project aims to strengthen national identity by connecting new generations with the region's history and its role in historical global communication networks.
He emphasised that the Telegraph Island development project presents a unique opportunity to bridge the past with the present by leveraging heritage for cultural and touristic development while maintaining a balanced approach between preservation and modernisation. The island has the potential to become a regional and global attraction, narrating a forgotten chapter of maritime communications and serving as a model for historical site development.
The project includes the construction of a multi-purpose hall spanning 731 square metres, a service building adjacent to the hall covering 130 square metres, an 8-metre-long and 2.5-metre-wide floating marine landing platform, a guardhouse at the island's entrance with all necessary facilities, a generator and fuel tank building, a shaded seating area with dedicated flooring, and a mountain walkway providing access to all facilities on the island. Additionally, two photography platforms overlooking key landmarks around the island are being built.
Al Shehi noted that the island holds unique historical significance as the site of the Middle East’s first modern communication line. Its name derives from the undersea telegraph cable stretching from Mumbai, India, to Basra, Iraq, with Telegraph Island in Khor Sham, Khasab, serving as a transmission station in 1864. This makes it a witness to the birth of modern telecommunications in the region. Its demographics, natural features, and location amid sea inlets also make it an attractive destination for tourists, explorers, and adventure enthusiasts.
It is worth mentioning that the project recently received special recognition in the prestigious Architizer A+ Awards as one of the world’s most notable architectural projects.
