Makkah News and Updates

19 June 2013 - 10 Shaban 1434 H

MAKKAH — A new Masher train has been added to the existing fleet increasing the total number to 17, Michel Khuwan, CEO of the Chinese operating company, said here, Tuesday. Each train consists of 12 compartments accommodating between 3,000 to 3,500 passengers. “Each train will transport 72,000 pilgrims per hour,” Khuwan said.

The contract of the Chinese company, he said, has been extended by one year. “The company is only responsible for running the train. It has nothing to do with the organizational matters or the operational plans,” he said.

The Chinese official said the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs will formulate this year’s operational plan which will be discussed at a workshop comprising all parties concerned with Haj affairs. “Each station has been supplied with 300 cameras to air live pictures from the station to the main control room,” he said.

Khuwan expects this year’s operational plan to be ideal and said all mistakes of the previous year will be corrected this Haj season.

Meanwhile, Amin Fatani, Director of the Haj Ministry’s Makkah branch, who visited the main station on Tuesday, said a ministry representative will be present at the station to liaise with officials of other sectors.

“There will be direct contact between the representative and Haj officials in charge of transport camps and grouping of pilgrims,” he said.

He said the ministry is a major partner in the Masher Railway project and added that Haj services are an integrated process with the aim of providing topnotch services to the Guests of Allah.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Al-Manshawi, Director of government relations in the Chinese company, announced that the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has completed all arrangements to formulate this year’s operational plan. He said the Chinese company employs about 4,000 Saudis every year on a seasonal basis and added that the number of Saudi employees may increase this year depending on the plans of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs.

“The safety measures of the train are very high. The train will automatically stop if any of its doors are not closed. It has two conductors — one in the front and the other in the rear. The driver in the rear will manually operate the train in case of any fault or emergency situation,” he said.

Al-Manshawi said there are nine stations, each with a hall accommodating about 3,000 pilgrims and each has an electric escalator, elevators and staircases.

A number of officials have, meanwhile, asked for organizing tourist trips via the train during this Umrah season to take the pilgrims from Makkah to the holy sites and back. “This will introduce the train to the pilgrims and help them become accustomed to traveling by it,” they said in a joint statement.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20130619170377

8,000 workers deployed
to prepare for Ramadan at two holy mosques

Work is in full swing to finalize the project, taking into consideration
the special architectural style of the Grand Mosque.

Thursday 20 June 2013

The number of Umrah visas for Sudan have been reduced to 33,000 from its previous allocation of 40,000.

Saudi Ambassador to Sudan Faisal Muala announced this change during the opening of the new cultural attaché building in Khartoum, which also includes the largest public library in Sudan, local media reported.

He said the quota was cut this year due to the secession of South Sudan.
The Saudi Embassy starts issuing Umrah visas every year at the beginning of the month of Safar until the middle of Ramadan. There are also visas available for those wishing to perform Haj, Muala said.

Maniee Al-Mutairi, cultural attaché at the Saudi Embassy, said the public library has more than 5,000 books containing information about different sciences useful for Saudi and Sudanese students. He said the Kingdom has awarded 80 scholarships to students from Sudan for higher studies at Saudi universities.

Al-Mutairi said the two countries are involved in a range of cultural activities.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/455588

22 June 2013 - 13 Shaban 1434 H

MAKKAH – The first phase of the expansion of the Mataf (circumambulation) area inside the Grand Mosque will not be completed until after Ramadan while the second phase will be finished only after Haj 2015.

After seven months of work, the contracting company implementing the project will halt work next Monday in anticipation of huge crowds of visitors during the holy month of Ramadan.

During Ramadan, people with special needs as well as Umrah performers will be able to use the Mataf area on the first floor.

By 2015, the project will be fully implemented and the Mataf will double its current capacity.

With the completion of the project, the problem of crowding in the Mataf during peak times such as Ramadan and Haj will have been solved.

The holy city is already witnessing an influx of Umrah visitors with the approach of summer vacation and in the run-up to Ramadan.

The authorities have made all possible efforts to provide necessary services to facilitate Umrah pilgrims, and this has resulted in an increase in their numbers over the years. The ongoing expansion work within the Grand Mosque and the removal of a number of buildings in its vicinity has not eased the crowding problem.

The central area of Makkah and its surrounding neighborhoods are crowded with visitors, and illegal residents have taken over street pavements. Visitors have praised the expansion projects and the Saudi government's efforts to facilitate the pilgrimage, but are calling for a solution to the crowding problem.

Visitors' numbers have exceeded the Grand Mosque's capacity, especially with the ongoing Mataf (the circumambulation area) expansion work.

Visitors believe that the only solution to the crowding problem is to limit the number of visitors from abroad until these projects are completed. An Algerian visitor said he had great trouble performing Umrah due to the Mataf project. He suggested a reduction in the number of Umrah and Haj visas to cope with the current situation.

An Indian pilgrims believes the number of visitors this year has exceeded all previous numbers.

The Ministry of Haj, however, expects the number of visitors to increase. The normal increase in the number of visitors is 10 to 20 percent annually.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20130622170759

Sunday 23 June 2013

Makkah: President General of Affairs of the Grand Holy Mosque and the Prophet’s Holy Mosque Sheikh Dr. Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz Al-Sudais has called on Muslims at home and abroad to adhere to the reduction of the percentage of numbers of pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors, especially by Muslims from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He pointed out that Mataf (circumambulation track) accommodates before the expansion project 48,000 persons per hour, during the project 22,000 persons, and after the project 105,000 persons.

Sheikh Dr. Al-Sudais prayed to Allah Almighty to reward greatly the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for the expansion projects in the Holy Sites and the provision of the best services and facilities for pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors to perform their rituals easily and comfortably.

Meanwhile Tunisia's Grand Mufti Sheikh Othman Al-Battikh has expressed his support for the decision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to reduce the numbers of pilgrims due to the expansion taking place in the Grand Holy Mosque in Makkah.

In a statement to Saudi Press Agency (SPA), he praised the gigantic works of projects in the holy sites, facilities and services provided by the Government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, to pilgrims and Umrah performers to perform their rituals easily and comfortably.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/455818

 

22 June 2013