July 6 – Tourism and conservation officials said they are currently considering an offer from a local firm to secure a destabilized rock formation in the ancient city of Petra.
Officials have been waiting for over a year to select a firm to secure the detached rock, which hovers above the 1.2-kilometre path leading to the iconic Treasury which is the main entrance and exit for all visitors to the World Heritage Site.
The technical committee tasked with securing the rock has received an offer from a local firm and is currently vetting the offer with a decision expected "soon", according to the Petra Archaeological Park (PAP).
"This kind of work is not like any other tender, there are so many technical and practical considerations, especially since it is on the main path of the site," said PAP Director Emad Hijazeen.
Some of the main concerns regarding the intervention are the safety of visitors and the affect of various materials and tools on the fragile sandstone rock, he said, noting that the request for the proposal for the project was prepared in cooperation with a local consultant and a UNESCO expert.
"This is not a normal infrastructure project," Hijazeen stressed, indicating that the government has reserved the necessary funds to conduct the intervention.
Work to anchor the rock formation was originally expected to commence in June. In lieu of a full intervention, conservationists sealed the crack surrounding the rock formation last fall.
