Saudi Arabia: Mecca expands 235,000sqm of walkways and adds 60,000 prayer spots ahead of Hajj 2025

Dubai: As part of its preparations for the upcoming Hajj season, the Royal Commission for Mecca City has completed a sweeping series of infrastructure and urban development projects in the central area surrounding the Grand Mosque, aiming to significantly enhance pedestrian mobility and the overall pilgrim experience.

The large-scale upgrades, finalised ahead of the 2025 Hajj, focus on easing foot traffic, expanding worship areas, and improving the operational readiness of one of the world’s most densely populated religious zones.

These include the expansion of pedestrian walkways and sidewalks across more than 235,000 square meters, streamlining access from transportation hubs and nearby facilities to the Grand Mosque.

Over 30,000 square metres of shaded canopies have also been installed to protect pilgrims from the region’s extreme summer heat, providing comfort along high-traffic walking paths.

To accommodate increasing crowds during peak prayer times, the Commission extended open-air prayer areas, adding capacity for over 60,000 additional worshippers. These expansions are aimed at easing pressure on interior prayer halls and preventing bottlenecks in surrounding corridors.

In an innovative approach to managing heat, a specially engineered surface coating was applied across six major sites, including Ajyad Street, Ibrahim Al Khalil Street, and the Clock Towers Plaza, lowering ground temperatures by up to 15°C across more than 50,000 square meters.

Additional upgrades include a unified visual guidance system supported by enhanced signage and wayfinding tools to better direct pilgrims through the maze-like urban centre. Dedicated electric golf cart lanes have been created to assist elderly visitors and people with disabilities, improving accessibility across the central district.

Urban coherence was also addressed. Storefronts were realigned for visual consistency, and new barber shops were added in line with Hajj rituals.

Huda Ata is an independent writer based in the UAE