Further Expansion of Grand Mosque Planned
P.K. Abdul Ghafour & Badea Abu Al-Naja, Arab News
Plans have been made to increase the capacity of the Grand Mosque in Makkah by 35 percent in order to accommodate the growing numbers of pilgrims and worshippers especially during the peak Haj and Umrah seasons, sources close to the project said.
The sources said that the Makkah Development Authority, the Makkah Municipality and the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques’ Affairs are currently conducting intensive studies concerning the expansion project to be completed by 2020.
The Makkah Development Authority has approved the master plan for the development of the city’s central region. The plan aims at accommodating three million residents and eight million pilgrims. The Saudi Binladin Group has begun work on the expansion of the running area (masaa) between Safa and Marwa. The project aims at reducing overcrowding and will be completed before the next Haj season. Plans are under way to air-condition the entire built-up area of the mosque.
The Saudi government has spent more than SR70 billion on the expansion of the Two Holy Mosques in recent years. Each mosque can now hold more than a million worshippers at a time.
As part of efforts to develop Makkah’s central region, in 2005 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah launched six major projects, including the SR12 billion Jabal Omar Residential Towers . Spread over 230,000 square meters, the Jabal Omar project includes five-star hotels, commercial centers and prayer facilities.
According to Habib Zain Al-Abidine, undersecretary at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, some 25 new real estate projects are being carried out in the center of Makkah. The total cost will exceed SR100 billion.
Sami Barhameen, secretary-general of the Makkah Development Authority, said the development projects to be implemented around the Grand Mosque were designed to enable worshippers to follow the imam at the Grand Mosque during prayers. The projects will not affect the underground flow of Zamzam water.
Faek Ibrahim, a trader in Makkah, welcomed the government’s move to expand the central area. “This project will benefit everybody,” he told Arab News. Ibrahim has been doing business in the Muddai area located close to the Haram for several years.
He and many other Saudi traders were asked to vacate the area at the time of the last expansion project 15 years ago. “All traders who vacated the area were given substantial amounts in compensation,” he said. The expansion created more housing and prayer areas for pilgrims and worshippers.
Muhammad Alauddin, a resident of the Shamiya neighborhood, believes that the new projects in the central area will change the face of Makkah, removing disorganized neighborhoods and dilapidated buildings. However, he complained that expatriate workers have benefited most froom the expansion work. “As a result, many Saudi traders in the area have lost their businesses,” he pointed out. This has happened not only in Shamiya but also in other areas such as Harrat Al-Bab, Al-Hijrah, Shabaka and Gaza . Architect Mohammed Bazaid expressed his satisfaction over the continuous development of the central region. He said the new projects would transform Makkah into a world-class city. He also complained that non-Saudi workers have occupied most shops in areas surrounding the mosque.
The sources said that the Makkah Development Authority, the Makkah Municipality and the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques’ Affairs are currently conducting intensive studies concerning the expansion project to be completed by 2020.
The Makkah Development Authority has approved the master plan for the development of the city’s central region. The plan aims at accommodating three million residents and eight million pilgrims. The Saudi Binladin Group has begun work on the expansion of the running area (masaa) between Safa and Marwa. The project aims at reducing overcrowding and will be completed before the next Haj season. Plans are under way to air-condition the entire built-up area of the mosque.
The Saudi government has spent more than SR70 billion on the expansion of the Two Holy Mosques in recent years. Each mosque can now hold more than a million worshippers at a time.
As part of efforts to develop Makkah’s central region, in 2005 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah launched six major projects, including the SR12 billion Jabal Omar Residential Towers . Spread over 230,000 square meters, the Jabal Omar project includes five-star hotels, commercial centers and prayer facilities.
According to Habib Zain Al-Abidine, undersecretary at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, some 25 new real estate projects are being carried out in the center of Makkah. The total cost will exceed SR100 billion.
Sami Barhameen, secretary-general of the Makkah Development Authority, said the development projects to be implemented around the Grand Mosque were designed to enable worshippers to follow the imam at the Grand Mosque during prayers. The projects will not affect the underground flow of Zamzam water.
Faek Ibrahim, a trader in Makkah, welcomed the government’s move to expand the central area. “This project will benefit everybody,” he told Arab News. Ibrahim has been doing business in the Muddai area located close to the Haram for several years.
He and many other Saudi traders were asked to vacate the area at the time of the last expansion project 15 years ago. “All traders who vacated the area were given substantial amounts in compensation,” he said. The expansion created more housing and prayer areas for pilgrims and worshippers.
Muhammad Alauddin, a resident of the Shamiya neighborhood, believes that the new projects in the central area will change the face of Makkah, removing disorganized neighborhoods and dilapidated buildings. However, he complained that expatriate workers have benefited most froom the expansion work. “As a result, many Saudi traders in the area have lost their businesses,” he pointed out. This has happened not only in Shamiya but also in other areas such as Harrat Al-Bab, Al-Hijrah, Shabaka and Gaza . Architect Mohammed Bazaid expressed his satisfaction over the continuous development of the central region. He said the new projects would transform Makkah into a world-class city. He also complained that non-Saudi workers have occupied most shops in areas surrounding the mosque.
6 comments:
what do u think when you IBADAH surrounded by trees, flowers n other green gardens.. the place of allaah should b like paradise on earth.. singing birds, running water, voice of AZAN n KURO.. there're no busy street, roaring car..no pollution.. allaah loves everything that is beautiful n peaceful.. if..IF..king of saudia aggree with us, we'll make a "better" design 4 our beloved MASJIDIL HARAM 4 FREE...!!
i think you should write to the king of saudia :)
Assalamu Alaikkum Ibu, How did you get interested in the developments in makkah, are you invovled somehow?
Wa'alaikumsalam...i'm just interested in the development of the Haram Land because I really love that holy city, that's all..i'm not involved there...syukran, akhi..!
Agreed with indra. We dont wanna see the saudi king, stealing property from the original people of Makkah. I mean there were houses, hotels, owned by original makkans, and now look, they stole their property, (in exchange, they gave another place, 1 mile away from Allah's house), extending the haram with dozens of thier own 5 STAR hotels. The goverment eats all the profit. How about the original makkans, huh? Fitnah
Saudi Prince and NYSE firm involved in Mecca Scandal.
HRH Prince Faisal bin Mugrin bin Abdulaziz, son of Prince Mugrin head of internal security, Al Muttahed a leading Saudi development firm listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange and Northcourse owned by Wyndham a NYSE company have been involved with a property scandal in the holy city of Mecca(Makkah) Saudi Arabia.
Le Meridien Hotel Towers Makkah offered a noble and spiritually rewarding product to Non Saudi’s however this blessed gift is nothing but a shameful con.
The product was exclusively marketed globally by North Course based out of Dubai.
In cahoots with Saudi firms,(Saudi Amjad/Al Muttahed (a Saudi Stock Company) & Al Fassel Global Services) they have been perpetrating a holy sin, marketing and promising the blessed gift of owning property in Holy Makkah close to the prophets Mosque to Non Saudis knowing full well that what they were doing was illegal, immoral and plainly deceiving buyers.
Le Meridien the hotel chain purported to be the timeshare resort managers through disclaimers denies any association with the project
“It has come to the attention of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.,(Starwood) that units at Le Meridien Towers Makkah hotel in Saudi Arabia are being offered for sale or rent as condominiums or timeshare by third parties. These timeshare units are not offered, licensed, sponsored or endorsed by Starwood, Le Meridien brand or any Starwood affiliates.
Starwood and Le Meridien brand disclaim any relationship with such timeshare or condominium units.”
How can the Saudi Government condone this kind of scandal, this blasphemy in the Holy City? Northcourse, Almuttahed and Al Fassel Global Services need investigating and serious action taken against them, using the holy city for business purposes and cheating faithful out of money in this way is shameful.
The Saudi & other Gulf authorities should punish the perpetrators of this evil crime. Muslim companies, communities, mosques and Governments around the world should boycott doing business with the companies mentioned above
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