Saudi Arabia: New road network to serve pilgrims in Mecca region

Cairo: Saudi authorities have built 283 kilometres of new roads linking parts of the kingdom to the holy region of Mecca to serve pilgrims, a Saudi official has said.

The projects built by the Saudi Roads General Authority include an expressway linking Riyadh to the western city of Taif which is part of the Mecca region, added Khaled Al Otaibi, the head of the Transport Ministry’s Mecca branch.

The official added at an annual forum on the Hajj and Umrah services recently held in the port city of Jeddah that a 300-metre pedestrian crossing has also been built under the Eastern Ring Road in Arafat, around 22km from Mecca, to separate pedestrian -vehicle traffic, and boost public safety.

The projects are part of an integrated plan to upgrade the quality of roads and support infrastructure for the annual Islamic Hajj pilgrimage and the Umrah that can be performed around the year.

Hajj, one of Islam’s five obligatory duties, requires Muslims who are physically and financially capable to perform it at least once in their lifetime.

Around 1.8 million pilgrims, including 1.6 million from abroad, performed the Hajj rites in and around Mecca last year. Preparations are in full swing for the upcoming Hajj season.

Saudi Arabia plans to welcome 15 million Muslims to perform Umrah or minor pilgrimage in the Grand Mosque in Mecca in 2025 as part of ambitious efforts to increase the numbers of the faithful flocking to Islam’s two holiest sites in the kingdom, according to a government programme.

The Guests of God Service Programme has said the plan was based on expanding infrastructure and the use of state-of- art technology including digitalising the services provided for the pilgrims.