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Dieter Held’s passion for building roads continues unabated even after 26 years in Oman
Mayank Singh

Dieter Held loves a drive on the Barka-Rustaq road any time. Strange passion, one might say. But not entirely so, if one considers the fact that this 64 year old played a seminal role in constructing over 5,000 km roads in Oman from 1980 to 2003. However, the 80-km stretch running from Barka to Rustaq, through Nakhal and Awabi, remains his all time favourite. Coming to Oman as a site manager of Strabag, an Austrian company, in 1980, Held rose to become its general manager in 1995.

In appreciation of Held’s contribution to the development of the sultanate, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said conferred on him Oman’s Civil Order Grade III in 2002. Held has also been felicitated with a medal, which is equivalent to the Knight’s Cross First Class by the President of Austria for his role in promoting Austrian industrial enterprise in Oman.

The network years
He says his 25-year plus stint in Oman has proved to be a learning experience in numerous ways. “I have learnt the virtues of tranquillity, kindness and patience in Oman. In Europe, one has to literally fight to survive.�Having got a diploma in civil engineering from Surrey University, Germany, he went on to do a second civil engineering course from Ulm University. Held came to Oman after working in Germany, Nigeria and Zaire (Congo). He reminisces, “I even went to Iraq to build a sewage system for the town of Basra.�His last station before coming to Oman was Nigeria. Coming from Africa, he found Oman replete with amenities like supermarkets, hospitals, and schools. “The country had seen real development from 1971 to 1980; what we did was an expansion of what was already there.�

Held was involved in the construction of the road from Muscat to Khatmat Milaha, Seeb to Jebel Hafeeth and the one from Sohar to Al Ain. He has also been a part of the team that built Oman’s first bridge in Fanja and the flyovers at Darsait, Qurum, al Ghubrah and Azaiba. He points out a striking feature of Oman’s development. “Even in the interiors one finds 30 km long asphalt roads connecting villages which may be inhabited by just two families. This is something that one would not find anywhere else in the world.�/p>

As Oman developed in the 70s and traffic kept pace with the growth of the economy, there was a need for broader roads. The historic moment arrived in 1983 when construction started on the first dual carriageway in the shape of the Batinah road. Held looks back proudly. “The Batinah road has been around for 23 years with no major problems.�The good quality of roads in Oman is largely the result of the availability of excellent material for road development. The large wadis of the sultanate are a rich repo-sitory of concrete, an essential ingredient for road construction.

Management philosophy
A firm believer in team work, Held has an unwavering belief in the power of personal contact. “Out of 2,000 people working on a site, I would know at least 1,900 personally. One should not be very critical of others. One should also make others feel part of the company.�The other important thing for a company is to live up to the commitments made to its people. “We paid people on time. So every first Thursday of the month, people could be sure that they would get their salary.�

Held is candid enough to admit that Strabag had been through its ups and downs. For instance, with crude oil prices hitting new lows between 1985-99, it was not always easy to do business. “From 2000, things became smooth and there was a huge demand for work,�says Held.

Working in Oman has also made him a firm believer in the innate skills of people in this part of the world. “While people here may not have the same equipment as in Europe or a science background, they have a good idea of local engineering which helps them attain similar or better standards than in Europe.�/p>

In an effort to encourage the construction skills of Omanis, Held, in association with Strabag, started the Muladdah Training Centre in 2002. He has been the director of the school since its inception. The school has two divisions �a training centre and a concrete products factory. The curriculum consists of 30 per cent theory and 70 per cent practical training. “People need work and so it is important to educate them.�The drive to help develop local talent led Held to join a local company, Sarooj Construction Company, after retiring from Strabag in 2003.

His day begins at 7.30 am. Catching up with the morning newspapers is followed by checking client mails. The morning hours are spent in meetings at government ministries or on site visits. Afternoons are devoted to office chores. Surveys of roads are usually undertaken on Thursdays, presumably due to less traffic owing to weekends. He calls it a day by 6.30 in the evening.

Time to unwind
With the construction industry being a physically demanding one, it is an abiding interest in sports that has helped Held work tirelessly through the years. Held’s fitness regimen includes a 30 minute walk on the beach every day, swimming and horse riding. “If you are into sports, it positively affects your attitude, helping you to work better.�He is not much of a music person, but does pick up an occasional book to relax.

The family takes a vacation in Europe once or twice every year. He says Germany, France and Switzerland are among the family’s preferred destinations. “We love the south of France as it has the Mediterranean Sea, reasonable temperatures, great food and a beautiful landscape. The mountains on the side of the Barka-Rustaq road remind one of the landscape in France.�

Doesn’t he ever feel the urge to hang his boots? “Since I studied a lot, I do not feel that my professional life has been so long. I still feel fit to create something.�

He feels that Omanis have the potential to achieve much more. However, he says a major prerequisite for this is that they change their attitude to work.

Married for 23 years, he credits a lot of his success to his wife Annah who he met in Nigeria. “She has been a pillar of support for me.�/p>

If home is where the heart is, Oman is definitely Held’s home. After homing in here for 26 years, he is driven by a strong desire to give back to the sultanate something in return for its kindness and generosity. But then, having spent over two decades in building the arteries of the nation, Held can rest assured about having repaid the sultanate’s debt in equal measure.