Makkah News and Updates

Thursday, 14 August 2014

RIYADH — Representatives of Gulf countries met here Wednesday to discuss precautions against the Ebola epidemic ahead of the annual Haj pilgrimage in early October.

The executive bureau of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s committee of health ministers met in the light of “preventive measures taken by some countries to protect against the Ebola virus... and the approach of the Haj,” bureau director Taufiq Khoja said.

The pilgrimage, the world’s biggest Muslim gathering, draws two million people to Saudi Arabia each year, including many from the West African countries affected by the Ebola outbreak.

Khoja said the Gulf nations should work together to “respond to any emergency situation” and organize “preventive and precautionary measures including travel bans and refusal of entry visas and work permits,” official SPA news agency reported.

Saudi Health Minister Adel Fakieh hoped the meeting would lead to “practical and realistic measures, without exaggerating or minimizing” the risks from the Ebola virus.

He said his ministry and other Saudi public health bodies were well prepared for the Haj season and were “taking account of the emergency situations” around the world.

The epidemic, the worst since Ebola was first discovered four decades ago, has killed more than 1,000 people since early this year, according to the World Health Organization.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20140814214714

Thursday 14 August 2014

A medical team comprising 200 medics and paramedics will assist the 100,000 Bangladesh pilgrims slated to arrive in Jeddah from Aug. 27, the country's envoy, Mohammed Shahidul Islam, told Arab News following his meeting with Haj Minister Bandar Hajjar in Jeddah on Monday.

The medical team will arrive with the administrative delegation and will man the country's clinics in Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah and the Haj terminal.

The ambassador expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for its efficiency in managing the mass Haj gathering every year. The affairs of pilgrims traveling from Bangladesh during this year's Haj season were discussed during the meeting, as well as efforts and achievements made by the government.

Islam praised the attention, care, and direct supervision provided by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, to Haj affairs.

Islam also appreciated the services, technological facilities and human resources provided by the Haj Ministry.

Islam said Bangladeshi pilgrims would be ferried this year by Biman and Saudi Arabian Airlines.

“There will be a total of around 136 flights, which will be shared by the two airlines,” he said.

This year, a total of 1,500 pilgrims out of 100,000 coming from Bangladesh will perform the annual pilgrimage under government management.

Performing the Haj will cost Bangladeshi pilgrims around Tk 300,000 (SR14,000) under the government and an average of SR12,000 if arranged privately.

The package would cover travel, meals and accommodation in the holy cities, while other pilgrims would come through accredited travel and Haj operators based in across Bangladesh.

"Private travel operators offer a variety of packages to suit all tastes, but accommodation in starred hotels would definitely cost pilgrims much more than the government quota," he said.

Bangladesh’s new Consul General, A.K.M. Shahidul Karim, would supervise the operations at administrative offices in Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah to assist pilgrims.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/saudi-arabia/615806

Thursday 14 August 2014

Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman, president of the Haj committee, streamlined requirements for the new Haj reception center for pilgrims on the famous Al-Hijra road between Makkah and Madinah.

The Ministry of Finance will help in getting the new center set up and will put up signs to welcome and send off Umrah and Haj pilgrims.

The instructions came at a meeting of the Haj committee in Madinah, during which officials reviewed the latest operational arrangements made by private and government entities for the upcoming Haj season.

Prince Faisal stressed the importance of implementing the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to ensure the success of this year's Haj.

Sami Esawi, director-general of Haj and Umrah Affairs in Madinah, reiterated the importance of cooperating with the General Investment Fund in getting the site ready, while Talal Al-Raddadi, secretary-general of the Madinah Development Authority, reviewed the progress made by the team responsible for the center.

The team was formed on recommendation made by the the outgoing Haj committee, which said that a new service office should be set up in the central area, in addition to posting an updated map of the area and providing directions to government offices.

Prince Faisal issued directives to ensure that these maps are available for wide distribution and also recommended the creation of an electronic app for smartphones, in addition to enhance signs in and around the Prophet’s Mosque.

The chairman of the Haj accommodation committee said that the committee had achieved a 92-percent success rate in meeting accommodation targets, estimated at 300,000 beds. The target would be fully met in a few days, he said.
Prince Faisal stressed the importance of completing accommodation arrangements in time for the busy season.

Delegates also reviewed operational plans put forth by the Haj Ministry's branch in Madinah and the private Adila Haj and Umrah service provider.

The Islamic University in Madinah, meanwhile, has implemented the second phase of a training program for government employees who come into direct contact with visitors, residents and citizens in a bid to ensure outstanding services and enhance interpersonal skills. Ali Al-Zahrani, program supervisor, said 38 employees from various government agencies participated in the training program.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/saudi-arabia/615701

Friday, 15 August 2014

MAKKAH — Hotels in the holy city, especially the small ones in the central area around the Grand Mosque, are currently bracing for Haj which is a prime season for them.

The hotels use this time of year in which occupancy falls to less than 10 percent to do their maintenance and refurbishment works. They are renewing their furniture, reinforcing their safety measures and training their staff to provide excellent services to the guests of God.

Mohammed Al-Qarni, a Saudi hotelier, told Makkah daily that some hotels have sent delegations outside to attract clients. He said travel and tourist companies usually make hotel reservations for their pilgrims at an early stage to ensure timely accommodation. He called for providing the young Saudi men and women with proper training to work in the hotels.

The accommodation sector, consisting of hotels, furnished apartments and other private buildings is this year expected to make revenues of bout SR3.5 billion which is 45 percent less than the revenues of last year which were close to SR6 billion.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20140815214784

Saturday, 16 August 2014

A recent accident that claimed the life of a woman in Makkah’s Al-Azizia district has highlighted the need for additional pedestrian bridges in a district that is witnessing a flurry of commercial activity due to its location as a major shopping hub. The district is also home to several hotels and residential buildings used by pilgrims due to its proximity to Makkah’s Central Area, Makkah daily said.

Longtime resident of the district Hamid Al-Saadi said Al-Azizia St. is a busy street and anyone who wants to cross it, has to dodge oncoming traffic.

“There are no pedestrian bridges and this increases the chance that someone trying to cross the street will get run over. Traffic flow is often disrupted due to accidents and this could have been avoided if pedestrian bridges had been constructed,” he said.

“The area has pedestrian bridges, but they are few and do not serve pedestrians who want to cross the street, especially the central part of the street where there are three big malls. Shoppers are forced to park their vehicles on the same street due to the lack of pedestrian bridges that would have otherwise allowed them to park on one side and cross the street using the bridge,” he added.

Echoing the same demands was resident Salim Al-Jihani who said the district is a focal point where people from surrounding areas come to shop, especially after the demolition of stores in Al-Mansour district.

“It has become necessary for the residents of Makkah to go to other districts especially Al-Azizia due to the existence of stores and malls and other places that appeal to pilgrims. However, the area lacks pedestrian bridges, which should have been there for the safety of pedestrians,” he said.

Spokesman of the Traffic Department in Makkah said a special committee comprising the Traffic Department, Makkah Municipality and Roads Administration is studying suggestions submitted by residents and the needs of Makkah’s various neighborhoods.

The Director of Information and Publication at Makkah Municipality, Osama Zaitooni, said all the sites that need pedestrian bridges in Makkah are being studied by special committees.

“If the committees recommend that a pedestrian bridge be constructed in a certain location, the municipality will construct it immediately after verifying the importance of the location,” he said.

A recent accident that claimed the life of a woman in Makkah’s Al-Azizia district has highlighted the need for additional pedestrian bridges in a district that is witnessing a flurry of commercial activity due to its location as a major shopping hub. The district is also home to several hotels and residential buildings used by pilgrims due to its proximity to Makkah’s Central Area, Makkah daily said.

Longtime resident of the district Hamid Al-Saadi said Al-Azizia St. is a busy street and anyone who wants to cross it, has to dodge oncoming traffic.

“There are no pedestrian bridges and this increases the chance that someone trying to cross the street will get run over. Traffic flow is often disrupted due to accidents and this could have been avoided if pedestrian bridges had been constructed,” he said.

“The area has pedestrian bridges, but they are few and do not serve pedestrians who want to cross the street, especially the central part of the street where there are three big malls. Shoppers are forced to park their vehicles on the same street due to the lack of pedestrian bridges that would have otherwise allowed them to park on one side and cross the street using the bridge,” he added.

Echoing the same demands was resident Salim Al-Jihani who said the district is a focal point where people from surrounding areas come to shop, especially after the demolition of stores in Al-Mansour district.

“It has become necessary for the residents of Makkah to go to other districts especially Al-Azizia due to the existence of stores and malls and other places that appeal to pilgrims. However, the area lacks pedestrian bridges, which should have been there for the safety of pedestrians,” he said.

Spokesman of the Traffic Department in Makkah said a special committee comprising the Traffic Department, Makkah Municipality and Roads Administration is studying suggestions submitted by residents and the needs of Makkah’s various neighborhoods.

The Director of Information and Publication at Makkah Municipality, Osama Zaitooni, said all the sites that need pedestrian bridges in Makkah are being studied by special committees.

“If the committees recommend that a pedestrian bridge be constructed in a certain location, the municipality will construct it immediately after verifying the importance of the location,” he said.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20140816214817

Saturday 16 August 2014

The Kingdom’s top religious scholar has called for a global code of conduct for leaders, intellectuals and young people to halt a dangerous slide into chaos and violence.

Addressing a large congregation at the Grand Mosque in Makkah during Friday prayers, Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais said there was an urgent need for an international charter to protect the youth from being influenced by extremist and nefarious ideologies.

Referring to those who have unleashed a reign of terror in the Muslim world, Al-Sudais said history was repeating itself.

“Even during the time of the rightly-guided Caliphs, there were people who spread sedition and violence,” he said.

“Their understanding of religion was different from the Companions, and they disfigured the pure image of Islam and deviated from the path of tolerance and moderation.”

He said the motive of those who were inciting the Muslim youth to take to extremism and violence are clear. “They are hijacking the minds of the Muslim youth and their only motive is to tear the Islamic society apart,” said Al-Sudais.

“The hidden agenda of those who took the cover of religion to hide their evil misdeed are now clear to everyone.”

According to Al-Sudais, a generation that grows up in the midst of violence and bloodshed caused by war crimes (of Israel and other foreign powers), carried out undeterred by religious or humanitarian values, such as in Palestine, Gaza, Syria and Iraq, will produce a generation that will only believe in violence, terror and clash of civilizations.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/featured/616706

Sunday 17 August 2014

The Makkah Clock Tower, the second tallest tower in the world, is to open for tourists after Haj 2014, according to officials.
Tourists will have to buy tickets to visit the tower top.

The gigantic Makkah Clock project was constructed on top of Tower No. 5 of the King Abdul Aziz Endowment Project, which consists of seven towers. The tower includes hotels on which the clock is situated.

Overlooking the Grand Mosque, the Makkah Clock Tower (a.k.a. Abraj Al Bait Towers) is 601 meters high with 76 stories and 858 suites.

“A large number of visitors of different nationalities will be allowed to visit the tower to get a close look at the interior of the Clock Tower,” an official told Arab News.

"There will be tickets to visit the tower. This procedure will be announced after this year's Haj season," said the official.

A number of hotels inside the tower attracted many visitors who were keen to enjoy the view of the Grand Mosque, especially during Ramadan.

“The Clock Tower revived our business during the last three years," said Abbas Subhi, marketing manager at a hotel located in the Clock Tower.

"Most of visitors come only to stay in our roof to enjoy the panoramic view of the Grand Mosque. The Clock Tower supports tourism," he told Arab News.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah had ordered the largest clock tower in the world to be built in Makkah.

The clock is placed at a height of 380 meters and can be seen from all sides.

The name of Allah has been inscribed on each of the four clock faces. Two of the clock faces, including the inscription, are 80 meters high and 65 meters wide, and the dial diameter is 39 meters.

The King Abdul Aziz Endowment Project, which overlooks the Holy Mosque, is one of the world’s largest construction projects.

Makkah Clock Tower is just a meter taller than Canton Tower in Guangzhou, China, which held the distinction as the world's tallest from 2010 until it was dislodged by 634 meters tall Tokyo Skytree in Japan.

Tokyo Skytree is the world's second tallest structure, surpassed only by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai (launched in 2010), which stands at 829.8 meters.

According to Infoplease.com, a tower differs from a building in that the latter has floors, and is designed for residential, business, or manufacturing use. Towers are generally telecommunications towers, which may have observation decks or restaurants, but do not have floors all the way up.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/featured/617046

Sunday 17 August 2014

More than 69 percent of the new King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) expansion project has been completed, announced Prince Fahd bin Abdullah, president of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).

The new facility will start operations by early 2016, said Prince Fahd
“This is in line with GACA’s 2020 strategy, which seeks to develop the Kingdom’s 27 domestic, regional and international airports,” he told Arab News, following a recent visit to the project site.

The strategy aims to raise the capacity of Saudi Arabia’s airports to more than 100 million travelers by 2020.

“GACA aims to expand the role of local and foreign companies in several projects, while enhancing safety and security standards,” he said.

“Our plans will meet the market needs for air traffic services in the Kingdom until 2040.”

KAIA is not the only airport that is undergoing drastic changes.

The first phase of King Khaled International Airport expansion project is likely to be completed by 2017.

After the expansion, it can accommodate 35 million passengers annually in its first phase and 47 million in the second phase.

The capacity of Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah will rise to 4 million a year when the first phase of the expansion scheme ends by early 2015. Its capacity will reach 8 million to 12 million in the second phase.

Jazan’s regional airport, which will move to a new location, is expected to accommodate 3.6 million passengers a year.

The relocation project has been awarded to a contractor and will be executed within three-and-a-half years.

The airport at Abha will boost its capacity to 5 million passengers from 1.1 million at present at the end of its expansion.

Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Regional Airport in Qassim will accommodate 3.2 million passengers, up from the previous 750,000-capacity, in three years’ time. Arar’s three-year development project will see a 10-fold increase in its capacity to 1 million passengers per year.

Al-Jouf’s domestic airport project, to be completed in two years, will accommodate around 1.1 million passengers, up from 256,000 passengers pre-expansion.

Yanbu’s international airport, meanwhile, will see 2.6 million passing through its premises annually, up from 600,000.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/617051

Sunday 17 August 2014

Umrah service firms have disputed a Passport Department report that said that 9,118 pilgrims failed to leave the Kingdom by the deadline set for last Monday and are now overstaying their visas. The Umrah firms said some of them have already returned to their countries.

The Passport Department said that of the 6,023,839 foreign pilgrims who arrived in the Kingdom for Umrah this year, 6,014,721 left the country, meaning 9,118 stayed back.

The official figures also showed that 2,184 pilgrims are waiting for their departure after completing their travel formalities. Some pilgrims might have stayed back because of security problems in Iraq and Libya, Umrah officials said.

“Half of the foreign pilgrims deemed still present in the Kingdom have already left and confirmed their arrival in their countries. Their names still figure on the list of those who did not leave the Kingdom because of the errors committed by some Passport officials,'' said Ahmed Al-Keraishan, former chairman of the Haj and Umrah Committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Al-Keraishan, who owns an Umrah service company,
pointed out that those returning pilgrims whose departure has not been recorded have called from their homes saying they have reached in their countries.

He said the remaining pilgrims are still in the Kingdom because of issues related to cancelled bookings or some problems with the Passport Department. However, they would be able to leave the country in a few days.

He said the Umrah organizers in general did not come across any serious problem in arranging return flights for their pilgrims.

Saad Al-Qarshi, a member of the National Haj and Umrah Committee, called the Passport Department report exaggerated. However, he believed that some pilgrims might have stayed back because of unreliable security situation in countries such as Libya and Iraq where airports are not fully operational.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/saudi-arabia/617006