INCREDIBLE aerial images have revealed the mind-bending scale of a new $1trillion futuristic Saudi Arabian megacity.
Known as The Line, a chasm for the 105-mile-long city has been carved out of mountains and desert as excavation continues along the country's northwestern coast.
Located in the Tabuk Province and facing Egypt across the Red Sea, the futuristic project will become part of the new urban area of Neom.
Ambitious plans for The Line include huge angled glass structures over an artificial river, an octagonal floating port and even a synthetic ski resort.
There will also be a swimming lane for commuters and a sports stadium 1,000ft above ground, as well as robots and AI to serve the anticipated population of nine million residents.
After excavation work officially began along the entire length of the project in October 2022, remarkable images of the site from above have now been released.
The photos were shared by Giles Pendleton, COO for The Line, in response to "naysayers" who doubted the grand plans would ever become a reality.
"Neom is real, part 12," Mr Pendleton wrote of the latest snaps where huge mountains of sand can be seen piled up to make space for the planned "hidden marina".
He said: "How to answer the naysayers about the incredible work being done in Neom?
"Show a cross section of the world’s largest building site from the mountains to the sea.
"Massive excavations on The Line, the future of island resorts on Sindalah and the next generation of ports and logistics at Oxagon."
Mr Pendleton added that more than 100 million cubic metres of sand have already been moved.
Set to be just 200 metres wide, the city will make up for its lack of width in height, with two 1,600ft-tall mirrored buildings flanking each side.
There will, however, be outdoor spaces in between, although no roads or vehicles will be present.
Instead, there will be public transport links on the outskirts, while the city will supposedly be fully powered by renewable energy.
Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman ambitiously hoped construction would be completed by 2030, but engineers have warned it could take as long as 50 years.
And some estimates suggest the overall cost of The Line could soar to almost $1tn (£800billion).
It is set to be the first phase of Saudi's Vision 2030, a government programme designed to help create thousands of new jobs and allow the nation to become less reliant on oil for wealth.
Yet investment from foreign parties remains one of its sticking points moving forward, with many Western countries refusing to involve themselves with a nation known for its human rights violations.
Furthermore, Neom has also faced criticism for forcibly removing indigenous tribes from the area, threatening anyone who fails to comply with very long prison terms or even death.
And that was quickly put into action when security forces were accused of shooting dead a resident in April 2020.
"The glossy brochures don't show that this is a city being built on forcible evictions, state violence and death sentences," Jeed Basyouni, Middle East director of the human rights organisation Reprieve, told .
Another campaigner, Lina al-Hathloul, director of communication for London-based Saudi human rights watchdog ALQST, claimed "Neom is built on Saudi blood.";
To further add to the growing list of ethical battles, bird experts have warned project leaders that The Line will be a "deathtrap" for millions of migrating birds.
"Birds flying into tall windows is a serious problem," professor William Sutherland, director of research in Cambridge University’s zoology department, told The Times.
"And this is a building that is 500m high going across Saudi Arabia, with windmills on top.
He added that the proposed mirrored windows will also be a deadly obstacle to overcome for birds migrating between Europe and Africa each year.
Saudi Arabia has also recently revealed its latest ambitious plan for a luxury train cruise as it attempts to become the "centre of the world".
The Middle Eastern nation's pretentious skyscrapers, mega-cities and flying cars are all part of trillion-dollar initiatives designed to represent Saudi superiority.
It follows mind-bending plans that were released for a futuristic community hidden in an upside-down skyscraper in a mountain.
Aquellum, the latest NEOM megalomaniac project, promises to challenge architectural norms and offer the world's first "floating marina".
