Makkah News and Updates

Wednesday 14 August 2013

Abdulhamid Aba Al-Ari, general director of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah said 22,000 pilgrims leave the Kingdom each day.

He also said the number of flights leaving until Thursday will reach up to 110. Late pilgrims’ flights are scheduled to leave by Aug. 20.

There is a control and sorting point before pilgrims are allowed entry to the airport to make sure of their groupings and arrival before departure. All departing flights are included in the schedule allocated to pilgrims.

Al-Ari said electronic grouping is coordinated with the Ministry of Haj. Flight information is passed through the system, including information about departure and arrival schedules. The Ministry of Haj groups pilgrims from Makkah.

The Ministry of Haj said electronic grouping mechanism for pilgrims checks on all civil aviation schedules, which is the cornerstone of grouping pilgrims’ final departures.

The Ministry of Haj directed all Umrah companies to abide by the rules and implement the system to ensure that electronic grouping is correct and inclusive to all pilgrims. It said that Umrah companies should make sure buses reach allocated flight gates six hours before departure time.

The Haj Ministry launched the electronic grouping system for all pilgrims. Bandar bin Hajjar, minister of Haj, called on all Umrah companies to apply the comprehensive electronic grouping system for pilgrims during the current Umrah season.

The system makes sure that all reservations of external pilgrims are included in the Civil Aviation flight schedule to avoid any possible delays.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/461205

Tuesday 13 August 2013

Eight million Saudi shemagh (headdress for men) have been sold during Ramadan, said Abdullah Haddad, a former member of the Fabric Committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Haddad said the sales of shemagh are estimated at 16 million pieces per year, but in Ramadan, the demand for shemagh increases.

Even though the shemagh is a traditional headgear for all Saudis, the local-made shemagh doesn’t attract Saudis. According to Haddad, shemagh that are highest in demand are made in China. The English-made shemagh is less in demand among Saudis.

Shop owners told Arab News that the Saudi market contains more than 170 kinds of shemagh.

“Types of shemagh vary based on the fabric colors and quality. There are some shemagh are that sold for only SR50, while others would cost SR150 or SR320,” said Hamada Omar, an Egyptian salesman in a middle-class mall.
“The prices of shemagh stay stable in most low and middle class malls, where Saudis know very well the types and the cost.”

Khalid Suhail, a Saudi salesman in a well-known shemagh shop in Rawdah district, said affluent people prefer to buy a shemagh that costs between SR300 and SR600.

“We have noticed that the youth’s taste in shemagh has changed. The new generation now prefers Saudi brands like Lomar for example. Such shemagh are made in local factories and gained popularity among the new generation,” he said.

“In my shop I am trying to cover all customers’ needs. A customer can find a shemagh that costs SR50 and another one that costs SR500.”

A recent report estimated the cost of shemagh sales in the Kingdom is at SR900 million, where 90 percent of the local production is sold inside the Kingdom. However only 10 percent of the Saudi-made shemagh are sold in other GCC countries.

Abdullah Al-Ahmari, a father of two kids, said that he had been buying Chinese shemagh for a long time for his kids.

“I used to buy the traditional shemagh for my two sons at SR50 for each. Today, my 12 and 15-year-old sons have decided to stop buying the traditional shemagh. They are looking for what they call a ‘stylish shemagh’. These shemagh are destroying my budget,” he said.

“They won’t be able to wear their Eid shemagh to school either. Schools do not allow the students to wear these new modern shemagh. Therefore, I have to allocate more money to buy school shemagh as well,” he said.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/461098

August 14, 2013

MAKKAH — Twenty years have passed and the streets of Makkah’s Al-Sofyani neighborhood remain unpaved.

The neighborhood’s residents have become used to inhaling dust particles when a car passes by their houses.

Although the local municipality has promised residents over and over again that it would asphalt the streets for the last two decades, these promises have never been fulfilled.

Some residents said the roads are full of bumps and holes and driving on them is extremely hazardous.

They called on the Makkah Municipality to fulfill the promises it made to them several times.

Some residents have developed chest problems as a result of breathing dust particles, while their vehicles have sustained great damage due to the potholes on the streets, costing the owners a lot of money to repair the damage. People still wonder why the streets have been left unpaved for such a long time and why the mayoralty has not allocated some of its budget to pave the streets.

Some of the residents told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that they still remember the day when they filed a complaint with concerned authorities to do something about the unpaved and unlit streets.

That was in 2008 and at the time officials made big promises and got residents’ hopes up.

Muhammad Al-Harbi said he saw many of the residents move to other neighborhoods after they gave up hope that authorities would fix the neighborhood’s problems.

A source in the mayoralty said they have a list of all neighborhoods whose streets need to be asphalted and lit and Al-Sofyani is on there.

The source added that the mayoralty dispatches field inspectors to check on the situation of neighborhoods and see what kind of services each of them needs.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20130814176771

14 August 2013 - 07 Shawwal 1434 H

DAMMAM — Over 100 Saudis faced sorcery charges in the Kingdom last year, constituting about 29 percent of the total cases filed, Al-Sharq newspaper reported. Forty-three of the foreign defendants were Sudanese, 32 Indonesian, 28 Yemeni, 20 Pakistani, 20 Indian, five Ethiopians and five from the Philippines, Al-Sharq newspaper reported.

Abdulaziz Al-Zamil, a legal consultant, explained that the investigation of alleged practitioners of sorcery starts from the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia).

The Haia members receive reports of sorcery and thoroughly investigate them. If they find enough evidence to support a particular report, the suspect is taken into custody. Usually, Haia personnel attempt to apprehend suspects in the midst of alleged sorcery acts, Al-Zamil explained.

Raids on suspect places, Al-Zamil said, often include thorough searches. Evidence, if found, is collected. Upon arrest, the suspect is preliminarily interrogated by the Haia. Then the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution takes over the case.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20130814176772

 

New uniform for the Mutawwifeen (Hajj guides)
at Masjid al Haram

زيّ جديد للمطوفين بالمسجد الحرام

www.gph.gov.sa/attach/files/2013/08/%D8%B2%D9%8A%20%D8%A7...

Thursday 15 August 2013

New projects worth more than SR300 billion are being implemented in Makkah to improve services being rendered to millions of pilgrims who come for Haj and Umrah, said Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal.

He said the new development projects in Makkah, including largest expansion of the Grand Mosque, were not aimed at making any financial gains for the Kingdom but to enhance facilities for the guests of God who are growing in numbers year after year.

“The ongoing Haram expansion project, the largest in history, is being carried out on an area of 400,000 square meters. It will double the mosque’s capacity to two million worshippers,” the governor said.

The new Haram project has six main components: Expansion of its plazas; construction of bridges and pedestrian pathways; new service buildings; health centers; civil defense office; a central air-conditioning station; and a reserve power plant.

“There are plans to construct more pathways and tunnels around the mosque as part of the project,” he said, adding that all these works would facilitate the movement of pilgrims.

Prince Khaled stressed the significance of the SR69 billion Makkah public transport project, including a metro system, adding that it would ensure smooth flow of traffic inside the city.

He also said the King Abdullah Project for the Development of Makkah and Holy Sites aims at increasing the present capacity of Mina and linking the holy sites with Makkah with an advanced transport system.

The ongoing expansion of King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah will increase its capacity to 80 million passengers, he said. KAIA is the main gateway of pilgrims.

“The Haramain Railway will reduce the waiting time of pilgrims at KAIA and will carry more than three million passengers annually,” the governor said.
The railway linking Makkah and Madinah via Jeddah will have a length of 480 km.

He referred to government’s plan to set up a full-fledged pilgrim city in Makkah with housing units, offices of Haj service providers and exhibition centers.

The expansion of masaa, the running area between the Safa and Marwa inside the mosque, has increased its capacity to 188,000 pilgrims per hour, he said.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/461297 15 August 2013 - 08 Shawwal 1434 H

JEDDAH – Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah Region, has said that the Kingdom does not seek any economic benefits from the development projects it has implemented and will implement in the Two Holy Mosques.

In a press statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday, the Emir said that the government provides these services because of its responsibility toward the guests of Allah.

He said the reports published in a section of the press about financial returns from Haj and Umrah seasons were inaccurate.

Allah has bestowed on the Kingdom the honor to serve pilgrims, Prince Khaled said, reiterating that all projects being implemented and those which will be implemented seek to serve pilgrims and visitors.

He said that the Kingdom under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Salman is making all efforts to serve the guests of Allah for the sake of Allah. It expects rewards from Allah only.

He added the Kingdom has mobilized all its potential to help pilgrims perform their rituals in as much comfort as possible.

Mentioning the current expansion being implemented in the Grand Mosque, the Emir said that it was the largest of its kind with an area covering 400,000 square meters. Once completed, it will accommodate two million Muslims. The expansion project consists of courtyards, bridges, health centers, a civil defense center, and a polyclinic.

Talking about the expansion of the Al-Masa, he said that it can now accommodate 188,000 Muslims per hour and the Mataf area can accommodate 105,000 Muslims an hour.

Prince Khaled said that the gigantic public transport project for Makkah will cost SR69 billion and will be implemented in three phases.

The King Abdullah Construction Project focuses on crowd management and the development of public transport networks. It also aims to increase the capacity of Mina and link road networks in Makkah with the Grand Mosque.

Al-Jamarat Bridge has now five floors and can admit 300,000 pilgrims per hour and another seven floors will be built in the future to accommodate five million pilgrims. Around SR300 billion has been allocated for Makkah’s road projects.

The Ministry of Haj has submitted plans to build a pilgrim city inside Makkah, a city which can provide pilgrims with all services and which has residential units, museums, and other services.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20130815176939

15 August 2013 - 08 Shawwal 1434 H

MAKKAH – The Haj minister has said all countries have been informed of the 20 percent cut in their pilgrim quotas and have gracefully accepted the move, local daily Al-Madinah reported on Wednesday.

The quota reductions were announced due to ongoing expansion work in the Grand Mosque, especially the mataf (circumambulation) area.

Bandar Al-Hajjar denied reports that several countries had objected to the cut in their pilgrim allocations and said the new quotas had been specified well in advance. The minister denied claims that new Haj procedures would be implemented due to current political incidents in some Arab and Islamic countries.

“The ministry has met with all Haj missions, informed them on the pilgrimage guidelines and obtained pledges from them to respect these rules, which aim to enable pilgrims to perform the Haj rites in ease and comfort.”

He asked all pilgrims to stay away from any actions that might jeopardize their security and safety and urged them to dedicate their time to worship.

Al-Hajjar revealed that the ministry has developed a specific mechanism to facilitate the arrival and departure of the Syrian pilgrims and signed an agreement to this effect with the Syrian Coalition Council. “The council is currently making arrangements to organize the arrival of Syrian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia through Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon,” he said.

Al-Hajjar said master plans for the two Haj terminals in Makkah and Madinah were currently being prepared and said the ministry would leave no stone unturned to ensure the comfort and safety of pilgrims.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20130815176947

Wednesday 14 August 2013

SINGAPORE: A Singapore-based company has launched an iPhone app alerting Muslims when to pray and in which direction they should face even when they’re 35,000 feet in the air.

Travelers input the flight details and are provided with prayer times during their journey, as well as the direction of the Muslim holy city of Makkah.

Crescentrating, a firm that gives “halal” or Islam-compliant ratings to hotels and other travel-related establishments, plans to make the free app, called Crescent Trips, available to Android smartphones within months, chief executive Fazal Bahardeen said.

The app also includes audio clips of prayers Muslims — required to pray five times daily at certain hours — recite when they travel.

“The Muslim traveler is probably the largest untapped market in the travel industry today,” Crescentrating chief operating officer Dany Bolduc said.
“It really isn’t catered to as well as it should be given the immense size and potential of this market.”

Spending by Muslim tourists is growing faster than the global rate and is forecast to reach $192 billion a year by 2020, up from $126 billion in 2011, according to a study released last year by Crescentrating and DinarStandard, a US-based firm that tracks the Muslim lifestyle market.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/461207

بعد توقف دام شهرين بدأ العمل في المرحلة الأولى من توسعة خادم الحرمين الشريفين لرفع الطاقة الاستيعابية لصحن المطاف بالمسجد الحرام، ويتوقع إنجاز العمل في هذه المرحلة من المشروع خلال الأيام القليلة المقبلة قبل موسم حج هذا العام، على أن يستأنف العمل ضمن المرحلة الثانية بعد الحج.

http://www.okaz.com.sa/new/Issues/20...0815628060.htm

After a hiatus of two months work began on the first phase of the expansion of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to raise the capacity of the Mataf of the Holy Mosque, and the expected completion of the work in this phase of the project during the next few days before the pilgrimage season this year, to resume work within the second phase after Hajj.

16 August 2013 - 09 Shawwal 1434 H

MAKKAH – The most infamous neighborhood in Makkah is set to be demolished within a month to make way for development projects in the holy city.

For two decades, the Hoash Bakr neighborhood was notorious for being a hub of criminal activity and the operations of dangerous individuals despite frequent police raids.

The Makkah governorate’s committee for underdeveloped areas has sent short written notices to the neighborhood’s residents that their property should be evacuated by Aug. 27.

The neighborhood, known among Africans as Guden Guda (“The Stolen Items Market”), is one of the most underdeveloped neighborhoods in Makkah.

Okaz/Saudi Gazette visited the houses surrounding the neighborhood and asked residents about the committee’s decision. All residents said they were joyful over the decision, claiming that it would put an end to a “nightmare”.

They said 90 percent of the neighborhood’s residents were Africans who did not have any IDs, let alone residency permits. Removing this neighborhood will help police fight crime better, according to Makkah police spokesman Lt. Col. Abdulmohsin Al-Maiman.

He added that this neighborhood together with similar criminal hotspots have all been under the police’s constant surveillance.

The neighborhood has contributed to a rapid increase in crime, he noted. “We’re continuously monitoring all selling and purchasing activities inside the neighborhood’s market, known for displaying stolen stuff for sale,” he said.

The Haramain Railway project and King Abdulaziz Road project will rid the holy city of its underdeveloped neighborhoods, some of which are known to be hubs for criminal activity.

A new western entrance that reflects the holiness of the city will be built near Hoash Bakr, while new buildings with Islamic architectural designs will be constructed along the northern and southern parts of the neighborhood, said the spokesman.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20130816177007

 

16 August 2013 - 09 Shawwal 1434 H

MAKKAH — Four government departments are at loggerheads for their authority to issue 47,000 seasonal Haj visas this year.

Makkah Municipality, the National Committee for Haj and Umrah, the Chamber of Commerce and the Ministry of Commerce have different points of view on the issue and a committee formed in Makkah governorate is scheduled to settle their differences.

The issue has come to the fore at a time when national companies are awaiting a final mechanism to obtain seasonal visas before the end of this month (Shawwal). The mechanism to be issued by the Ministry of Labor, sources said, is being opposed in some influential quarters.

Okaz/Saudi Gazette has learnt that the committee will lay down a program to prevent misuse of these visas, especially since national establishments were found to be involved in the sale of visas. An investigation committee ordered the closure of six national establishments that were involved in the sale of over 1,600 seasonal work visas during the Haj season two years ago.

Owners of the establishments were fined SR16 million, SR10,000 per visa sold.

The committee, formed upon directives of Makkah Emir and Chairman of the Central Haj Committee Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, included members from Makkah governorate, Makkah Municipality, Administrative Intelligence, Directorate General of Passports, the Labor Office in Makkah and the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution (BIP). The committee recommended tightening supervision on granting of visas for seasonal work and the necessity to implement the new regulation for seasonal visas during the Haj season.

The establishments sold the visas granted to them according to the regulations. This caused delay of some works in the holy sites, as they recruited workers to perform Haj and not to work.

The Council of Ministers had earlier approved a decision to create visas for “temporary work – seasonal work”, for work during the Haj season. The period of the multi-entry visa is a maximum of six months. It cannot be extended or renewed and cannot be converted into a full-time work visa.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20130816177090

16 August 2013

أوضح لـ«عكاظ» مدير عام مطار الأمير محمد بن عبدالعزيز الدولي بالمدينة المنورة المهندس عبدالفتاح عطا، أنه تم إنجاز نحو 45 في المائة من الأعمال الإنشائية لمشروع المطار الجديد في الجهة الشرقية من موقع المطار الحالي، متوقعا الانتهاء منه أواخر العام المقبل 2014م.

وأشار إلى أن المشروع الذي تبلغ تكلفته 1.6 مليار ريال يهدف إلى زيادة الطاقة الاستيعابية لمطار الأمير محمد بن عبدالعزيز إلى 12 مليون مسافر في العام، ويأتي ضمن مبادرة طموحة لتطوير قطاع الطيران في المملكة على مدى عقدين بتكلفة إجمالية قدرها 55 مليار ريال، وهو أول مشروع مطار يتم تنفيذه بشراكة بين القطاعين العام والخاص.

http://www.okaz.com.sa/new/Issues/20...0816628486.htm

Google translation:

He told Okaz »Director General Airport Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina Engineer Abdul Fattah Atta, it was completed about 45 per cent of the construction works of the new airport project in the east of the existing airport site, expected to be completed late next year 2014.

He pointed out that the project at a cost of 1.6 billion riyals aims to increase the capacity of the airport, Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz to 12 million passengers per year, and is part of an ambitious initiative for the development of the aviation sector in the Kingdom for two decades at a total cost of 55 billion riyals, the first airport project is being implemented in partnership between the public and private sectors.