Makkah News and Updates

Saudi Transport Minister:
Haramain rail stations 75% completed

Friday, 6 Jun, 2014

Dammam, Asharq Al-Awsat—Significant progress has been made on the much-delayed Haramain high-speed rail project and the stations along the line are 75 percent complete, according to Saudi Transport Minister Dr. Jabara Al-Suraisari.

The minister’s comments came in a statement following a two-day tour of work on the new line, which will connect Mecca and Medina via Jeddah. Suraisari, who is also the chairman of the board of the Saudi Railways Organization, said that the progress made was “reassuring.”

Members of the Shura Council had called on Monday for an investigation into delays and excess expenditure on the project, which was originally scheduled for completion in 2012 but is now expected to wrap up in late 2015.

“The Nazaha [Anti-Corruption Commission] should investigate the budget allocated to the Haramain Railway project and the reasons for the increase in the funds needed for the completion of the project,” the Shura Council said during Monday’s discussion of the Railway Organization’s annual report. Members also criticized the delay, saying the project had taken twice as long as originally planned and that more than twice the initial budget had been spent.

But Suraisari said there had been constant follow-up on the project at the highest levels, and that supervisory committees carry out weekly and monthly site inspections.

The two final segments of track, a 165-kilometer stretch on the approach to Medina, will be handed over to Phase II contractors shortly, so that the electrification of the entire 450 kilometers of track can be completed, he said.

The president of the Saudi Railways Organization, Mohamed Al-Suwaikat, added that the first batch of rolling stock—equipped to travel at speeds of at least 300 kph—would be delivered soon.

http://www.aawsat.net/2014/06/article55332985

4 June 2014

تفقد مدير عام الدفاع المدني بمنطقة المدينة المنورة اللواء زهير سبيه يرافقه عدد من المسؤولين في القطاع موقع مشروع محطة قطار الحرمين، واطلعوا على مرافق المشروع والتجهيزات المتعلقة بالسلامة الإنشائية. ووقف ممثلو الدفاع المدني على تجهيزات مبنى مركز الإطفاء بالمحطة التي تقع شرق المدينة المنورة، واستمعوا لشرح قدمه مهندسو المشروع بالموقع حول اشتراطات ومتطلبات الوقاية من الحريق المنفذة في مشروع المحطة، وإجراءات متابعة تنفيذها.

وعقد اللواء سبيه اجتماعاً مع مدير المشروع والمنسق العام للمشروع للاطلاع على مراحل إنجاز مبنى الإطفاء، وبحثوا آلية تنسيق الجهود وإعداد التصور المقترح لخطط الطوارئ.

http://www.alriyadh.com/941312

Google translation:

The Director General of Civil Defense in Madinah, Major General Zuhair captivity, accompanied by a number of officials in the sector project site-Haramain Train Station, and were briefed on the project facilities and equipment safety-related construction. And stop the representatives of civil defense equipment to the station building, the fire station, which lies east of Medina, and listened to explain his project engineers Active about the requirements and the requirements of fire protection project carried out in the station, and follow-up procedures implemented.

The brigade held captive meeting with the director of the project and the general coordinator of the project for the completion of the stages of building the fire, and discussed a mechanism to coordinate efforts and to prepare for the visualization of the proposed contingency plans.

Madinah Museum


Madinah Museum is located at the Hejaz Railway Station in Madinah

June 2014

The Madinah Museum is located at the square of Bab Al Anbaryah at the refurbished Hejaz Railway Station in Madinah. The museum was founded in 1999 and made a new opening in December 2013.

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) completed the first phase of the museum at the station, and this represents a cultural façade of Madinah region, which abounds in archeological and Islamic historical sites. “The SCTA has refurbished the buildings of the old Hejaz Railway Station and transformed them into a museum to showcase the rich history of Madinah through the ages ever since the pre-historic period until the present day. The commission had earlier established another museum at the train repair shed to highlight the history of the Hejaz Railway.

The museum’s first phase consists of 14 halls to showcase exhibits, and they include the lobby of the museum, halls for Madinah’s environment and history of its nature, Madinah before Islam, Madinah during the Prophet’s period, halls of the Prophet’s wives and children, Al-Ansar and Muhajireen, the Prophet’s Mosque, Madinah during the period of Caliphs, Madinah through Islamic ages, Madinah in the period of first Saudi state, Madinah in the second Saudi state, Madinah during the period of King Abdul Aziz, and Madinah heritage.

The second phase of the museum would include construction of building on an area covering 12,000 sq. meters. It will house five halls to showcase artifacts from King Abdul Aziz Library of Madinah, and the Prophet’s Mosque, as well as those related to Madinah through the ages, in addition to a hall for children, and another for Saudi life. There will be digital display of artistic and archeological artifacts representing the history of Madinah and its urban heritage through the ages.

Madinah Museum visiting hours:

- Saturday to Thursday from 9:00am to 9:00pm
- Friday from 5:00pm to 9:00pm

Source: http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20131210189091
http://www.madina2013.com/pages.aspx?ln=en&p=85

 

May 2014

Calligraphy

Al-Shamiya Extension of the Masjid Al-Haram

Saray Design

Our master carvers and inlay artisans have received the great honour and responsibility of carving and inlaying the Qur’anic verses that will grace the walls of the Al-Shamiya Extension of the Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca Sharif.

The finest white marble, deep blue lapis lazuli and hand-beaten gold leaf will be used in creating the calligraphic panels which will be executed by a dedicated team composed of hundreds of master craftsmen.














http://www.saraydesign.co.uk/project...sjid-al-haram/

‘I want to thank Saudi govt
for the expansion work in the holy sites’

Monday 9 June 2014

The main concern of Egyptian pilgrim Adel Mahmoud, who came to perform Umrah recently, is the disunity of Muslims, and while standing atop the historic Uhod mountains, he prayed for the unity of Muslims all over the world.

Speaking with Arab News, he said he also prayed for the security and stability of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other Muslim countries.

Uhod witnessed one of the major battles between the forces of goodness and evil, and a large number of Muslims visit this place every year to remember those Muslim warriors who dedicated their lives to Islam.

He thanked God for having gotten an opportunity to visit the holy cities as well as to perform Umrah and pray at the Prophet’s Mosque.
“This is for the first time I am coming for Umrah,” he said.

Mahmoud expressed his desire to perform Haj, and hoped he would be able to come for the annual pilgrimage in the near future.

“I was really amazed by the remarkable progress achieved by Saudi Arabia,” he said. “I take this opportunity to commend the Saudi government for its efforts to expand the two holy mosques.”

Mahmoud thanked Saudi authorities for giving them warm welcome at airport. But he was unhappy with the Umrah service company.

“Its service was very poor. We had to wait at Yanbu airport for two hours for the buses to come and pick us up, and the accommodation facilities were below standard. They asked us to get ready at 7:30 a.m. for visiting the historic places in Madinah but their buses came very late,” he pointed out.

Mahmoud and other pilgrims in his group paid 7,300 Egyptian pounds each for their Umrah journey.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/583906

 

Prophet's Mosque

5 June 2014
















Historic Uhud mountains site

5 June 2014