Makkah News and Updates

5 February 2014

Makkah’s much-delayed 14.5-kilometer third ring road would finally be completed in two months, according to sources.

A contractor started the SR500-million project in September 2007 but failed to complete it in the promised three years. The contractor then failed to meet an October 2012 deadline. The government appropriated more than 700 properties to make way for the road.

The Ministry of Transport is currently overseeing the third ring road project and one other ring road. The Makkah municipality is overseeing the other three rings roads in the city.

Sources told local media that the contractor would complete the project within two months because more than 1,000 workers, technicians and engineers are working around the clock to finish it.

The contractor has built all the project’s bridges, including a large tunnel that links Al-Tahreeb road with Madinah road. The final touches are being made to flyovers on Makkah and Madinah road next to Lady Aisha Mosque.

The 360-meter tunnel has four lanes in each direction, with a special lane for trucks traveling from Jeddah that bypasses residential areas in the Holy Capital.

The project will link Jeddah highway and Lady Aisha Mosque, which is located on the Makkah-Madinah road, with a road of 5.5 kilometers. Those coming from Jeddah can go directly to Lady Aisha Mosque in Al-Taneem via the bridges and tunnels of this project.

The project has two intersections on Al-Hijaz Road and the old Jeddah-Makkah road. It has eight bridges of over 20 meters in height to link mountain areas.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/520811

الأربعاء 05/02/2014
إنجاز 60 % من مظلات وأرصفة ركاب محطة قطارالحرمين بمكة

أنجزت وزارة النقل والمؤسسة العامة لخطوط السكة الحديد أكثر من 60% من الأعمال المدنية لأرصفة لوقوف القطارات وانتظار الركاب ومظلات محطة القطار بحي الرصيفة فى مكة المكرمة. كما بدأ ائتلاف الشركات المنفذة للمشروع صب قواعد الربط بين المحطة والطريق الرئيس فى مدخل مكة المكرمة.

وكشفت جولة «المدينة» أمس على موقع المحطة مرابطة آلاف المختصين والفنيين والعمال والآليات التى تعمل طوال اليوم بنظام الورديات لتنفيذ الأعمال المدنية فى الموقع

ويعد مشروع قطار الحرمين السريع أكبر مشروع ينفذ حاليًا لخدمة ضيوف الرحمن من اجل تسهيل تنقلاتهم منذ وصولهم وحتى مغادرتهم وربط المدينتين المقدستين بشبكة نموذجية ومتطورة للسكك الحديدية وهو مشروع قطار الحرمين السريع.

وأشارت المصادر الى أن مشروع قطار الحرمين يمثل احد العناصر المهمة في البرنامج التنفيذي لتوسعة شبكة الخطوط الحديدية في المملكة العربية السعودية ويوفر المشروع عند اكتماله خدمة سريعة وآمنة وموثوقة لنقل الركاب وضيوف الرحمن والمعتمرين والزائرين ويضع المملكة في مصاف الدول التي تقدم خدمة النقل بقطارات الركاب السريعة مما ينعكس هذا على التنمية الاقتصادية والاجتماعية في منطقتي مكة المكرمة والمدينة المنورة.

واضافت المصادر إن القطار سيربط المدينتين المقدستين مكة المكرمة والمدينة المنورة ومدينة جدة ومدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية في محافظة رابغ مرورًا بمدينة جدة بطول 450 كيلو مترًا لنقل الحجاج والمسافرين والمعتمرين والزوار، حيث تشير دراسات الجدوى إلى الطاقة الاستيعابية له في النقل تقدر بنحو 20 مليون مسافر سنويًا.

وأشارت إلى أن المشروع يتضمن إنشاء خمس محطات ركاب في وسط مدينة جدة وأخرى بمطار الملك عبدالعزيز بجدة وفي مكة المكرمة والمدينة المنورة ومدينة الملك عبدالله الاقتصادية.

وبلغت تكاليفه حسب المؤسسة العامة للخطوط الحديدية نحو 42 مليار ريال وستكون طاقته الاستيعابية نقل20مليون راكب سنويًا في المستقبل اغلبهم من الحجاج والمعتمرين والزوار بين مدن المملكة.

وقالت المصادر إنه يتوقع حجم النقل السنوي للمشروع ما يزيد على 3 ملايين راكب سنويًا معظمهم من الحجاج والمعتمرين حيث تشير دراسة أعدتها وزارة الحج عن تطور قطاع نقل الحجاج وتضاعف عددهم خلال الخمس وعشرين سنة المقبلة إلى أكثر من 20 مليون حاج ومعتمر حيث تشهد نسب الحجاج زيادة سنويًا تبلغ 1.41 % والمعتمرين 3.14 % سنويًا بينما روعي في تصميم مشروع قطار الحرمين من نقل 20 مليون راكب سنويًا.

http://www.al-madina.com/node/509555...%83%D8%A9.html

Google translation: 5 February 2014

Completed and the Ministry of Transport and the General Organization for railway lines , more than 60 % of the civil works for berths to stand and wait for passenger trains and umbrellas train station neighborhood Rusaifa in Mecca . Began as a coalition of companies executing the project casting rules link between the station and the main road at the entrance to Mecca .

The tour revealed « City» yesterday on the location of the station stationing of thousands of professionals , technicians and workers and the mechanisms that operate throughout the day shifts for the implementation of civil works at the site

The Haramain High Speed ​​Rail project the largest project currently being implemented to serve the pilgrims in order to facilitate their movements since their arrival until their departure and to link the two holy cities and sophisticated network model railway , a project Haramain High Speed ​​Rail .

The sources pointed out that the Haramain train project represents one of the important elements in the executive program for the expansion of the railway network in Saudi Arabia and provides the project , when completed, service is quick , safe and reliable transport of passengers and pilgrims and Umrah performers and visitors and puts the Kingdom in the ranks of countries that offer shuttle trains passengers fast , which is reflected this economic and social development in the regions of Mecca and Medina .

The sources added that the train will link the holy cities of Mecca and Medina and Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh passing through the city of Jeddah along the 450 kilometers to transport pilgrims , travelers and pilgrims and visitors , which indicate the feasibility studies to the capacity of its transport an estimated 20 million passengers annually .

She pointed out that the project includes the construction of five passenger stations in the center of the city of Jeddah and the other in Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Mecca and Medina and King Abdullah Economic City .

The cost was by the General Establishment for Railways about 42 billion riyals will be a capacity of transferring 20 million passengers a year in the future , mostly pilgrims and visitors between the cities of the Kingdom .

The sources said he expected transport volume annual project more than three million passengers a year , most of them pilgrims , where according to a study prepared by the Ministry of Hajj for the development of transport sector of pilgrims and has doubled over the past five and twenty years ahead to more than 20 million pilgrims and pilgrims , which is experiencing ratios pilgrims increase annually amounting to 1.41 % and 3.14 % per annum of pilgrims while taken into account in the design of the Haramain train project transport 20 million passengers annually .

6 February 2014

The vast expansion of the Grand Mosque at Makkah has made it difficult for pilgrims to find their way around the area or even reach the Kaaba.

Arab News toured the city and found that first-time pilgrims get lost easily owing a lack of information points and signposts.

Many can be seen praying and performing Umrah rituals in the wrong direction because they are unable to see the Kaaba from afar.

Arab News spoke with Turkish pilgrims, who complained that this was their first time and that they encounter difficulty getting to the Kaaba.

Fatima from Istanbul said: “Large crowds and extensive construction work have made entire groups lose their way and pray in the wrong direction. We need more signposts in various languages both inside and outside the Grand Mosque area to solve this problem. Multilingual staff should be appointed to help guide the masses,” she said.

According to official estimates, 750,000 pilgrims performed the Umrah in a single month, a record compared to last year. The figure is expected to reach 6 million by the end of the season.

Pilgrims also find themselves being ripped off by taxi drivers, who charge extra during peak times and traffic congestion.

“The government should put up boards with taxi fares at taxi stands near the Grand Mosque. Otherwise, drivers will continue to demand SR20 for short distances and take advantage of pilgrims who are unable to use buses,” said Abdul Rahman, a visitor to Makkah.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/521406

6 February 2014

MAKKAH — Many women are profiting from reserving places in the Grand Mosque for other worshippers.

These women use their handbags, personal belongings, or chairs to reserve places for worshippers who pay for the service because they come late for prayer and cannot find suitable places to pray.

Some women even reserve places by asking some African women to bring their children and cover a larger area for other worshippers. They are paid SR200 for the whole day.

This is especially the case on days when the mosque is very crowded, such as Friday nights, Mondays and Thursdays, Ayyam Al-Beed (three days in the middle of each Hijri month) and in Ramadan.

Female guides at the Grand Mosque say such women profit enormously from this practice and some make an income that is enough for a whole year. One guide said such behavior is not allowed in the Grand Mosque and when guides try to reason with these women they are attacked.

The guide added that places are mostly reserved around Hunayn, Bilal and King Abdulaziz gates, in addition to the women's sections on the upper floor.

Noor Qarout, head of the women's guides unit in the Grand Mosque, said scholars have denounced the practice of reserving places in mosques and places should be freely available for those who arrive first.

Head of Media and Public Relations in the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques Ahmad Al-Mansouri said female guides in the Grand Mosques have to deal with many negative behaviors, including reserving places.

He noted that during Ramadan, the guides are supported by women police officers to minimize this phenomenon.

He pointed out that the Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Alsheikh has issued a fatwa (religious edict), saying that reserving places in mosques is against the teachings of Islam.

The mufti said those who come early to the mosque and sit in the back rows will have better rewards from God than those who come late and pay for a place in the front rows.

He said the reward for "being ahead" is not simply for sitting in the front rows but for coming early to the mosque.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20140206194858

6 February 2014

MAKKAH — Arrangements are under way for the construction of two new tunnels in Makkah that will facilitate movement of residents and pilgrims within the city.

The first tunnel will connect King Abdulaziz Road with the Grand Mosque and the second will be part of the second ring road and will connect Umm Al-Qura Road with Madinah Road.

Makkah traffic police head Col. Sulaiman Al-Jemaiei said the city's tunnels are of great concern to the traffic police and therefore special units monitor them throughout the year, especially during Haj and Umrah seasons. He pointed out that these tunnels have greatly contributed to the smooth flow of traffic across Makkah.

He said the tunnels cut through mountains to minimize the distance between various parts of the city.

Al-Jemaiei noted that Prince Miteb Bin Abdulaziz Tunnel at 1,300 meters is the longest tunnel in Makkah.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20140206194863

8 February 2014

The prestigious Makkah Integrated Transport System is gaining momentum in the holy city as authorities gear up to initiate the SR25.5 billion project by processing tenders which are expected to be finalized soon.

This is the third project in the holy city in addition to the existing Mashaheer train service used during Haj and the proposed high-speed Haram rail service.

The integration of the bus transport system with the train services is the prime feature of the project and will also cover all public transport such as the metro lines, the express bus lines, local buses and the shuttle bus service.

Around 15 international consortiums and some local companies have expressed their interest in the project and the processing of tenders is expected to be finalized in another two months, said Osama Al-Bar, chairman of the executive committee of the Makkah Integrated Transport Authority and mayor of the holy city.

He revealed that in the first phase of the work of the metro train system, two metro lines, one red and one green, with a length of 46 km will be built while 40 percent of the train lines will run through underground tunnels.

The first metro line will be 11 km long with seven stations and will be mostly underground. It will run from the Jamrat region in Mina west via the northern side of the Grand Mosque, King Abdul Aziz Road, and the Haramain high-speed station in Rusaifa to the Makkah-Jeddah Expressway.

The second metro line will be partially underground and will be 33 km long with 15 stations. It will start at Madinah Road north of Taneem Mosque, run south along the western side of the Grand Mosque, and via King Abdulaziz Towers, Azizia Street and Taif-Karr Road to Umm Al-Qura University, according to the mayor.

The first phase is expected to be completed within five years, according to Mohammed Madani, regional director in the Ministry of Transport in Makkah. The five-year work span is one year more than the one announced earlier.

The project of the Makkah Integrated Transport system includes a network of trains consisting of four metro lines with a total length of 114 km and 62 stations. In addition, the project includes a network of bus transport that covers the city of Makkah at four different levels, including the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Local Bus, Feeder Bus Service, and Shuttle Bus that connect the parks (Park and Ride) and Al-Masjid Al-Haram, train stations, and express buses.

The Saudi Railway Organization is constructing a station in Rusaifah as part of the high-speed Harmain Rail from Makkah to Madinah. The station in Makkah will have the arrival and departure concourses, a mosque with a capacity of 600 worshipers, a center for civil defense, helipad, 10 platforms for trains, a car parking lot with a capacity of 5,000 cars which are divided into short and long-term parking and VIP lounges.

The station has also been linked to the Public Transportation System through the provision of an appropriate parking area for buses, linking the station via pedestrian pathways. The work of this station is in full swing.

Makkah’s first train line, the 18 km Al-Mashaheer Al-Mugadassah metro, opened in 2010 and links the pilgrimage sites of Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat.

The project’s aim is to reduce vehicular congestion in the Grand Mosque area in central Makkah and facilitate easier movement for pilgrims.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/522681

9 February 2014

Fifteen pilgrims died and 130 others were injured in a fire that broke out at a hotel in Madinah on Saturday, the Madinah Governorate said in a statement.

The fire occurred at the Ishraq Al-Madina Hotel at 2:33 p.m.

Eyewitnesses said the victims were of different nationalities and included Egyptians and Turks.

Civil Defense firefighters were able to put out the blaze by 5 p.m., the governorate said.

Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman has been following up on the incident.

An investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire has been launched, sources said. Preliminary reports indicate that the fire occurred as a result of a short circuit during maintenance work.

Thirty of the injured were treated on the spot, while others were sent to King Fahd Hospital and the Ansar Hospital. According to one report, Ansar received four bodies and 91 injured.

Most pilgrims died of suffocation, the statement said. There were about 700 guests in the hotel at the time the fire broke out. Authorities evacuated guests and closed off streets leading to the hotel on Sitteen Street.

Some pilgrims who were trapped inside the hotel climbed to the roof of the building for safety.

A large number of people had gathered in front of the hotel, obstructing rescue efforts.

Eighteen fire-fighting teams were dispatched to put out the blaze, while the Red Crescent deployed 14 first-aid teams and Madinah’s Health Department eight teams.

An Indian pilgrim staying at a nearby building said she saw a huge plume of dark smoke coming out of the hotel as she was returning from the Prophet’s Mosque at around 2:45 p.m.

“We saw some people waving through the windows for help. We also saw several firefighters engaged in rescue operations. A large number of people had gathered in front of the hotel. It was a frightening scene,” she said.

There were conflicting reports about the number of Egyptian casualties.

Ahmed Zaki, an official at the Egyptian Consulate in Jeddah, said they had received information about the death of four Egyptians. Another report said that as many as 12 of the 15 victims were Egyptians.

Egyptian Ambassador Afifi Abdel-Wahab was quoted as telling an Egyptian television channel that “15 Egyptians died in the fire.”
Prince Faisal has ordered hotel guests to be relocated.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/522796