DUBAI: The holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia is seeing massive infrastructural developments aimed to create more housing, transport and living facilities for pilgrims and residents.
The Grand Mosque will be expanded and six real estate projects implemented in its vicinity in the next ten years at a cost of SR50 billion. The expansion of the mosque, ordered by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, has resulted in the demolition of 1,000 properties in Shamiya area and a reported SR6-billion fund has been allowed to compensate the owners.
The Shamiya project is designed to provide more prayer space on the north of the mosque and facilitate transportation of pilgrims. A large number of hotels and furnished apartments will be constructed in the area, which will also have more public utility services, Arab News said.
Another project, Jabal Khandama, is located east of the mosque and will include a number of hotel towers. About 15 per cent of the 1,50,000 square metres of this project will be allocated for Mecca residents.
Jabal Omar project is another one being implemented at the southwestern region of the mosque. The flattening of hills in this area has already commenced and will result in a new residential district. This 2,30,000-square-metre area will include hotels, residential towers, shopping complexes and public service facilities.
Besides, an advanced hospital will be set up and a new road will be developed at the eastern side of the Mosque that will be linked with the Jeddah Expressway.
The total area of courtyards around the world’s largest and most important mosque is estimated at more than 40,000 square metres, which can accommodate at least 1,00,000 worshippers.
