Key commercial centre shuttered in Mecca

Cairo: Local authorities in the Saudi holy city of Mecca have shut down a major commercial centre for failing to comply with safety and health measures, a newspaper reported Tuesday.

Concrete blocks have been set up at the entrances to the 200-shop market in Mecca’s district of Al Azazia with a municipal note pasted on doors of all stores reading: “Closed for violating authorities’ regulations and instructions”, Okaz newspaper said.

Municipal teams had registered several “observations” that must be handled to protect the shoppers’ safety, local spokesman Raad Al Sharif told Okaz.

“The market will reopen after municipal and health standards are enforced,” he added without further details.

In recent months, Saudi authorities have stepped up inspection tours of businesses across the kingdom to check their abidance by the anti-coronavirus precautions and safety standards.