Makkah News and Updates

in full swing


Construction at Haramain train station in Jeddah

Saturday 27 April 2013

More than 27 percent of the Haramain rail station in Jeddah and 13 percent in Makkah have been completed and the project will be completed on time, according to Muhammad Al-Suwaiket, head of the Saudi Railways Organization (SRO).

He said that the second phase of the train project will begin after construction of stations is completed.

Building four stations in Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh is the second and last part of the project’s first phase. The project’s second and last phase will involve the installation of tracks, signal and communication systems and the railway electrification system and 35 passenger vehicles. The second stage will also see the establishment of six power stations to meet the project’s power requirements. The project is expected to operate by the end of 2014.

Al-Suwaiket, who was inspecting works on the project’s Makkah-Jeddah section on Thursday, said the Haramain High Speed Rail Project is one of the main parts of the Kingdom’s rail expansion project. It is aimed at connecting Makkah and Madinah via a 450-km electric railroad that also includes the King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh.

It would be a fast and safe transportation means for millions of people visiting the two holy cities, he said, adding that the project is fully supported by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.

Muhammad Abuzaid, SRO spokesman, said Al-Suwaiket inspected a number of bridges being constructed as part of the project along the railroad, including important intersections at the entrance to Madinah where he ensured appropriate procedures were followed concerning traffic flow (traffic affected by detours as a result of the project.) He discussed ways to accelerate the work.

http://arabnews.com/news/449588

Makkah Projects

 

Monday 29 April 2013

The Ministry of Haj has warned hotels and other accommodation facilities against seizing passports of pilgrims under any circumstances, cautioning that punitive action will be taken if irregularities are detected.

In a phone conversation with Arab News, Muhammad Al-Bijawi, director of the ministry’s Madinah branch, said that no party in the Kingdom is entitled to withhold passports, explaining that this decree has been issued by the country’s highest authority.

“In cases where passports are required, individuals can provide photocopies of their passports. However, hotels are forbidden to withhold passports on the grounds of protecting their financial rights. Anyone who confiscates a passport will be considered a violator and will be dealt with accordingly,” he added.

He explained that in some instances Umrah service companies withhold passports to facilitate the organization of the group and to ensure pilgrims do not misplace their passports, pointing out that even that practice is forbidden.

Al-Bijawi revealed that there are distinct penalties for different categories of violators saying: “If the violator is a landlord, the Tourism Commission will impose the penalty. But if the violation was committed by the Umrah facilitating company and if it was proved that they held the passports in order to restrain and control the pilgrims’ movements, they will be sent for interrogation and penalized according to the regulations of their respective countries,” he said.

The Ministry of Haj’s branches in the holy cities are conducting regular field visits to detect violations and enforce appropriate measures.

In a related case, a court in Madinah is investigating a case filed by the Bureau of Investigation and General Prosecution regarding a hotel owner who had held the passports of 15 pilgrims and did not return them on time, causing a delay in their departure. The hotel owner justified his move, saying he wanted to ensure he received his financial dues from the contracting firm.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/449793