RedHanded ShortHand: ‘The Line’ - Saudi Arabia’s Futuristic Megacity
Jan 6, 2026
Envision a towering megacity stretching 105 miles in the Saudi desert, designed for nine million residents with robot maids. The ambitious project, part of the Vision 2030 initiative, promises a car-free utopia, but faces serious concerns. The hosts delve into forced evictions of local tribes, the sustainability of such a massive undertaking, and the daunting financial risks. Historical comparisons highlight past failures, raising questions about who would even want to live in this controlled environment. Is this futuristic dream a reality or a costly mirage?
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Ambitious Utopian Megacity Plan
- The Line is a proposed 500m-high, 100km-long mirrored megacity in Saudi Arabia designed for 9 million residents with robot maids and a fake moon.
- It promises car-free, carbon-free living with everything within a five-minute walk and subterranean hyperspeed transit.
Oil Wealth Built The Megaprojects
- Saudi Arabia transformed from poor desert state to oil superpower after major finds in the 1930s, creating vast national wealth.
- That oil wealth underpins current megaprojects and the political power of Mohammed bin Salman.
Human Rights Context Matters
- Saudi Arabia scores very low on Freedom House metrics, reflecting severe restrictions on civil liberties and political rights.
- Under MBS, repression increased with arrests of dissidents, rising executions, and tight surveillance.
