Makkah News and Updates

 

New restaurant's re-opened

 

after last year haj in Al Ghaza area near Saudi Post

 

 

 

Sheba Amir Area hotels demolition is completed

 

except SAUDI POST building which is to be

 

demolished soon.

الثلاثاء 25/06/2013
قطار الحرمين يظهر بالمدينة.. و2014 موعدًا لإنجاز المحطة

بدأت ملامح محطة قطار الحرمين بالمدينة المنورة في الظهور بشكل واضح، حيث تتواصل أعمال البناء في المحطة التي تبلغ تكلفتها أكثر من مليار ونصف المليار ريال، فيما بدأت الأعمال في المرحلة الثانية من المشروع والتي تشمل استيراد وتركيب القضبان الحديدية بالإضافة إلى أنظمة الإشارات والاتصالات وتوريد أكثر من 30 قطارًا فضلًا عن معدات الصيانة وتصنيع وتوريد وتركيب أنظمة الإشارات والاتصالات والتي سبقها أعمال المرحلة الأولى والتي تتعلق بإنشاءات الجسور والعبارات ومسارات القطار.

وأشارت وزارة النقل إلى ان أعمال مشروع قطار الحرمين تسير وفق الجدول الزمني المعد حتى 2014 في إشارة إلى الارتياح إلى نسبة الإنجاز في المشروع، حيث أوضحت بأن الجزء الأول من المشروع يتعلق بإنشاء الجسور والأنفاق والعبارات فضلًا عن مسار طريق القطار الذي سوف يسير عليه.

أما فيما يتعلق بالمرحلة الثانية من المشروع قالت الوزارة بأن الجزء الثاني يتمثل في المحطات الأربع والتي سوف تكون في مكة وجدة ومدينة رابغ الاقتصادية والمدينة المنورة، مشيرةً إلى أن العمل يسير فيها بوتيرة متناسبة في إشارة إلى الانتهاء من أعمال المشروع في الوقت المحدد.

وفيما يتعلق بالمرحلة الثالثة من المشروع والمتمثلة في تصنيع القطارات وتوريدها ووضع القضبان على طول الطريق بالإضافة إلى تشغيل وصيانة المشروع لمدة ١٢عامًا أشارت الوزارة بأن قطار الحرمين سوف يخضع لعمل تجريبي بين محطتي المدينة المنورة ومحطة مدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية وذلك في عام 2014م.

هدم وإزالة
وعلى الجهة الأخرى من محطة قطار الحرمين بدأت أعمال الإزالة في العديد من العقارات المنزوعة لصالح المشروع، حيث تمت إزالة عدد من المواقع لصالح المشروع، وبحسب مصدر مطلع من داخل محطة القطار بالمدينة المنورة فإن المواقع التي تجري إزالتها سيتم تحويلها إلى مواقف أرضية للباصات التي تقل الركاب عند البدء في تشغيل المشروع والتي سوف يجري تنفيذها لاحقًا. وسوف تأخذ محطة المدينة المنورة اللون الأخضرمأخوذًا من لون قبة المسجد النبوي الخضراء.

وتصل تكلفة مشروع قطار الحرمين إلى حوالي 9 مليارات ريال وتوزعت على إنشاء أربع محطات ستصل سرعته إلى 300 كيلومتر في الساعة حيث ستستغرق الرحلة ما بين مكة المكرمة والمدينة المنورة قرابة الساعتين
ومن المتوقع أن تكون الطاقة الاستيعابية للقطار حوال 3 ملايين مسافر سنويًا والذي سوف يكون نشاطه الرئيسي موجهًا للحجاج والمعتمرين. وتسعى الوزارة إلى الانتهاء من المشروع في الوقت المحدد، حيث يحظى المشروع بمتابعة مستمرة من وزير النقل جبارة الصريصري من خلال زيارات تفقدية شبه شهرية إلى محطات القطار الأربع، حيث يقوم بتفقد كافة مراحل المشروع من خلال السير على طول طريق المشروع والبالغ 450 كيلو مترًا من محطة المدينة المنورة ومرورًا بمحطة مدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية في رابغ ومحطة محافظة جدة وانتهاءً بمحطة مكة المكرمة.

http://www.al-madina.com/node/462005...%B7%D8%A9.html

Google translation: Tuesday, 25/06/2013
Haramain train shows in madianah .. And 2014 as the date for completion of the station

Began Features Train Station Holy Medina to emerge clearly, where ongoing construction work at the station costing more than a billion and a half billion riyals, while work began in the second phase of the project, which includes import and installation of metal bars in addition to signaling systems, communications and supply more than 30 trains as well as equipment maintenance, manufacturing, supply and installation of signaling and communications systems, which preceded the work of the first phase which relates بإنشاءات bridges, ferries and train tracks.

The Ministry of Transport to the work train project Holy going according to schedule prepared until 2014, in reference to the satisfaction to the percentage of completion of the project, which explained that the first part of the project is the establishment of bridges, tunnels and ferries as well as a path through the train that will follow it.

With regard to the second phase of the project, the ministry said that the second part is the four plants, which will be in Mecca, Jeddah and Rabigh economic and Medina, noting that the work is going on the pace commensurate in reference to the completion of the project on time.
With regard to the third phase of the project of manufacturing trains and supply and the development of bars along the way as well as the operation and maintenance of the project for 12 years ministry pointed out that the train of the Two Holy will be subject to experimental work between stations Medina station and King Abdullah Economic City and in the year 2014.

Demolition and removal

And on the other side of the train station of the Two Holy started clearance work in many of the properties expropriated for the project, which has been removed a number of locations for the project, according to a source familiar with from inside the train station in Medina, the sites that are removed will be converted to parking ground for buses carrying passengers When you start to run the project which will be implemented later. The station will take Medina Color Alokhaddrmojuma from color green dome of the Prophet's Mosque.

Up the cost of Haramain train project to about 9 billion riyals and distributed to create four stations will reach a speed of 300 miles per hour where the journey will take between Mecca and Medina nearly two hours

It is expected that the capacity of the train Hawwal 3 million passengers annually, which will be the main activity directed to the pilgrims. The ministry intends to finish the project on time, where the project has to follow up ongoing Transport Minister Jabara Suraiseri through visits inspection semi-monthly to train stations four, where he inspected all stages of the project through a walk along the road project amounting to 450 kilometers from the station Medina and passing through the station, King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh and Jeddah station and the end station of Mecca.
A model of Jeddah Haramain train station presented at Jeddah exhibition to showcase development projects initiated by 17 government organizations and companies at the Mall of Arabia.

The objective of the exhibition is to disseminate information to the public on the development plans undertaken by the government, such as the new King Abdul Aziz Airport project and the Haramain Railway scheme.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/456104

 

Quba Mosque expansion
study is nearing completion

دراسة توسعة مسجد قباء شارفت على الانتهاء

Wheelchair bridge being built at Grand Mosque

 

Wednesday 26 June 2013

The 56-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation has backed Saudi Arabia’s decision to cut the number of foreign pilgrims by 20 percent during this Haj season, saying it was essential to ensure the safety and security of the guests of God.

“This is a temporary decision that was taken as a result of the ongoing expansion work at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and holy sites,” said OIC Secretary-General Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and urged OIC countries to cooperate with the Saudi government.

He said the expansion projects at the Haram Mosque, especially for mataf (the circumambulation area around the Kaaba), are aimed at enhancing facilities for the growing number of pilgrims who come for Haj and Umrah. “While supporting the measures taken by Saudi Arabia, we call upon OIC countries to cooperate with the Kingdom in carrying out appropriate measures it has adopted for the purpose,” the secretary-general said.

The cut in pilgrims will be in line with quotas set for each member country and Muslim communities during a meeting of the OIC foreign ministers in Amman in March 1988, Ihsanoglu said.

The quota is fixed at the rate of 1,000 for every one million.

Mohammad Tayeb, director general of the Foreign Ministry’s office in the Makkah region, told Arab News that the Saudi government has already informed foreign countries through it missions to cut the number of pilgrims.

The Omani Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs said it has received the message.

“As a result, Oman will be sending 11,200 pilgrims, instead of 14,000, for Haj this year,” the ministry said.

The capacity of mataf has been reduced from 48,000 to 22,000 per hour because of the ongoing work.

“We understand that the mataf will not be able to hold more pilgrims during this Haj season,” the ministry said.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/456219

Sunday, 23 June 2013

Saudi Arabia has changed its official weekend to Friday and Saturday, state news agency SPA reported.

A statement on SPA said the change, decreed by King Abdullah, will take effect as of this weekend, "for the sake of putting an end to the negative effects and the lost economic opportunities consistently associated with variation based on work days between local departments, ministries and institutions and the regional and international counterparts."

The move brings the kingdom in line with the rest of the Gulf, as well as being closer to the working hours of international financial markets and businesses.

The Saudi financial market, the largest Arab bourse in capitalization, works five days per week but with the previous Thursday and Friday weekend, only three days had matched those of the main global markets.

In April, the Saudi Shura Consultative Council had agreed to study a recommendation to switch the Islamic weekend in the kingdom to Friday and Saturday.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/busi...-weekend-.html

The change will bring it into line with other countries in the region and help co-ordinate business and banking days.

A similar proposal in 2007 was rejected, but the Saudi business community has been lobbying for the change so that it can harmonise its activities with regional commercial hubs, such as Dubai.

A royal decree takes effect this week.

After Oman switched to a Friday-Saturday weekend last month, Saudi Arabia was the only country left among the six-member Gulf Co-operation Council to persist with the old format.

A statement carried by the the national Saudi news agency SPA said the change, decreed by King Abdullah, was "for the sake of putting an end to the negative effects and the lost economic opportunities consistently associated with variation based on work days between local departments, ministries and institutions and the regional and international counterparts."

It will mean that Saudi businesses will now have four working days overlapping with Western and regional businesses rather than three, making it easier to trade.

Friday remains a holiday in Muslim countries because it is a holy day set aside for communal prayer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23031706

The fact that the change is happening in June, after schools have closed and while many Saudis are on holiday before the Ramadan fast starts on 9 July, means it will be less jarring, economists said.

"Instead of having just three working days aligned with the rest of the world, now you will have a full team for most of the working week that the rest of the world applies. One extra day does play a considerable role in increasing output," said John Sfakianakis, chief investment strategist at Masic investment in Riyadh.

Traditionally Saudis had a six-day working week, taking Fridays off – when Muslims are enjoined to attend mosque for communal prayers – but the government added Thursday to the official weekend.

Some religious conservatives had argued against moving to a Friday-Saturday weekend because it smacked of westernisation. However, that argument did not enjoy serious support, said Saudi sociologist Khalid al-Dakhil.

"In terms of religious opposition, yes there might be some, but there's absolutely no unanimity in opposing this course among religious people," he said.

A statement on Sunday on national Saudi news agency SPA said the change, decreed by King Abdullah, will take effect as of the coming weekend, "for the sake of putting an end to the negative effects and the lost economic opportunities consistently associated with variation based on work days between local departments, ministries and institutions and the regional and international counterparts."

King Abdullah issued the decree following a recommendation in April by the kingdom's Shura Council, which advises the government on new laws.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013...riday-saturday

27 June 2013 - 18 Shaban 1434 H

TAIF – The Supreme Judicial Council said here on Wednesday that the Kingdom’s decision to reduce the number of pilgrims was legitimate, and made to ensure safety of the Guests of Allah while work was carried out to allow more worshippers.

Secretary General and Spokesman of the Supreme Judicial Council Sheikh Salman Muhammad Al-Nashwan in a statement to SPA said: “The Kingdom took into consideration the safety of Muslims so as to prevent any hazards if the numbers of Haj and Umrah pilgrims increase.” He called on Muslims to cooperate with the government.

Earlier this month Haj Minister Bandar Hajjar announced the decision to reduce by half the number of pilgrims coming from within Saudi Arabia, and by about 20 percent those from abroad.

“This is an exceptional and temporary decision,” the minister said, quoted by SPA.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20130627171389

27 June 2013 - 18 Shaban 1434 H

MAKKAH — The general manager of the Haji and Mu’tamer’s Gift Charity Association, Mansour Al-Aamer, said that the charity will provide more than 1.5 million free meals to fasters during Ramadan this year.

The meals will be distributed by nearly 1,150 employees both men and women at Al-Haram, entry points to Makkah, and car parking areas.

The general manager said that 450,000 free Iftar meals will be distributed inside Al-Haram, 500,000 in Al-Haram yards, 150,000 in Makkah entrances and car parking areas, and 50,000 in Makkah’s Mosques.

The society has opened an office this year in Madinah, and the Iftar meal will include yogurt and other Madinah specific food items.

100,000 Suhoor free meals will be distributed in Makkah’s central area, and 250,000 Iftar and Suhoor meals will be distributed at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.

The society has now undertaken a new project of preparing meals. They are now making an Iftar package for 15 fasters, which will include dates, coffee, coffee cups, tissues, and a waste bag.

This will allow a faster to share the package with other fasters around him, and share the reward in this act of generosity. These packages will be distributed through the society’s offices.

In addition to free meals, Al-Aamer said that the charity offers many services to pilgrims and Umrah visitors, such as providing them assistance 24/7.

They also offer guidance from the airport, providing special services to the handicapped, translation, and other services in cooperation with government bodies.

With the support of concerned authorities, the charity also distributes Haj sacrifices to the poor and needy.

For those who stay in Al-Haram or at the Prophet’s Mosque for long hours, the society has designed a package — launched last year — for them too.

The package consists of back support, a bag for used clothes with pockets for a blanket and a mobile phone, a pillow, an eye cover, a fan, and 80 refreshing tissues.

The society was formed in 1430H with the purpose of offering free services to Umrah and Haj pilgrims.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20130627171377