Makkah Metro to be partially ready for Haj

The Saudi Railway Organization has said that the first phase of the Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro (Makkah Metro) project is expected to be completed before this year's Haj, Arab News has reported.

"While the entire project will be completed before the Haj season next year, the finishing of the first phase would mean that 35% of our services will be offered to the pilgrims this year itself," SRO president Abdul Aziz Al-Hoqail said. The rail network will initially link the holy sites to the Haramain Railway and other railway networks, and eventually to the Gulf Railway.

SR20 billion spent on Makkah development

Makkah Mayor Osama Al-Barr said that more than SR20 billion had been spent recently on developmental projects in Makkah.

The rate of evictions for the first circular road was low compared to the evictions required for the construction of the railway lines.

“The last railway station in Makkah required a large number of evictions. The station will be east of Abdullah Arif Street and the Hokier or the Third Circular Road.”

Al-Barr said people whose properties were acquired for development projects for undeveloped and unplanned districts would have a share in the companies that developed those areas.

The priority in undertaking development projects will be in the districts south of the city such as Al-Nakasah, Al-Zahur and south of Jabal Omar, he said.

The mayor added that the municipality was studying ways to issue construction licenses with the least delay. Commercial establishments in Makkah were issued licenses in a single day.

Speaking about the number of floors that could be in a building, the mayor said: “We hope to permit more floors for buildings though currently the building regulations of 2002 are in force. The new regulations governing the elevation of buildings are in the final stage of preparation and will be ready in three or four months, after getting the approval of the concerned ministry.”