"Makkah and Madinah News and Updates"

[Saif al-Arab]

King launches key Grand Mosque expansion projects

King launches key Grand Mosque expansion projects | Front Page | Saudi Gazette
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Somehow I cannot post the entire article above without my post "disappearing". Extremely strange I have to admit.

Anyway in short the total area of the existing Al-Masjid Al-Haram is 356,000 sq. meters accommodating worshippers while the new expansion will cover an area of 456,000 sq. meters will accommodate an additional 1.2 million faithful. Courtyards of the Al-Masjid Al-Haram will hold more than 250.000 worshippers.

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Expanded mataf can be utilized this Haj​

Wednesday, July 22, 2015 10:17 PM
Khaled Al-Humaidi
Okaz/Saudi Gazette

MAKKAH — Work has resumed on the third phase of the expansion of the Grand Mosque to increase the capacity of the Mataf (circular walkway around the Kaaba), with government officials hoping the work will be completed before this year’s Haj.

Sultan Al-Qurashi, director of the department of projects at the Presidency of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, said the expansion of the mataf has reached an advanced stage and it will be ready for use during the upcoming Haj, which falls in September.

According to Al-Qurashi, the pillars supporting the mataf levels are currently 94 percent complete, while the ceilings are around 85 percent complete.

“About 40 percent of the reconstruction of the Abbasid and Ottoman portico in the mataf area has been completed,” he said.

Al-Qurashi said the presidency has worked with the contractors carrying out the expansion to increase the daily productivity in an effort to complete the project on time for the benefit of Haj pilgrims.

The temporary fences, along with the makeshift suspended mataf, are scheduled to be removed before this year’s Haj.

With the completion of the expansion project, the capacity of the mataf will double to 105,000 worshipers circumambulating the Kaaba in an hour.

Work on the project had stopped earlier in June for 45 days for Ramadan.

Expanded mataf can be utilized this Haj | Front Page | Saudi Gazette

Jabal Omar project​

Notice the traditional Hijazi architecture. It's a nice and needed touch.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Madinah expects visitors' number to reach more than 56 million in 2050

Madinah, 15 Shaaban 1436 H, June 2, 2015, SPA​

A study conducted recently by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Madinah has expected that the population of Madinah reaches by 2050 about 4 million people, and that the number of visitors jumps from inside and outside the Kingdom to more than 56 million visitors by 2050.

The study included all sectors that form economy axes and the trends of investments and investors until 2050.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/english/print.php?id=1368072

Prophet's (saws) Mosque expansion updates

May 2015

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[Saif al-Arab]

Expansion site at the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in the holy city of Madinah

Fourth expansion in Al-Masjid al-Haram in the holy city of Makkah

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Continued

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Wonderful images from Makkah / and Prophet's mosque

Admirable effort by Saudi government for benefit of all muslims visiting the two holy places

Remarkable expansion I could barely recognize so many land mark areas so much change

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Wonderful images from Makkah / and Prophet's mosque

Admirable effort by Saudi government for benefit of all muslims visiting the two holy places

Remarkable expansion I could barely recognize so many land mark areas so much change

Brother, it is far from finished work. What you see on this page (23) and the previous ones are not the finished work. Far from it. Also I highly recommend taken a look at the entire thread.

Also Makkah and Madinah are in a constant evolution and this is not strange when you think about news like this one below:

Madinah expects visitors' number to reach more than 56 million in 2050​

Madinah, 15 Shaaban 1436 H, June 2, 2015, SPA​

A study conducted recently by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Madinah has expected that the population of Madinah reaches by 2050 about 4 million people, and that the number of visitors jumps from inside and outside the Kingdom to more than 56 million visitors by 2050.

The study included all sectors that form economy axes and the trends of investments and investors until 2050.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/english/print.php?id=1368072

There will be many, many, many future expansions. This is neither the first one or the last one.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

The new transportation , hotel for visitors and the new architecture and design is really something. If my memory correct Saudi Aramco used to work on the expansion projects in past.

The road work for pedestrians for Hajj and train service also great services

Nice to see some of the older items saved in Museum

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Hajj 1436.

Stamp.

Mina.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Roof progress

 

[Saif al-Arab]

New model of Al-Masjid Al-Haram

^^^ Bab Al-Fath ............................................................……^^^ Bab Al-Umrah

Area of Bab Abdul-Aziz and Safa minaret



Bab Al-Umrah: Gate Now and in Future​

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Mina & Mount Arafat last week​

Hottest Hajj in 20 years in terms of temperature despite several days with rain.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

What a great touch of traditional Hijazi architecture with a modern touch.

Part of the Jabal Omar Project:

Just great.

Madinah expansion ongoing:

Al-Masha'er Metro in Makkah

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[Saif al-Arab]

Haramain railway to replace pilgrim buses by December 2016

JEDDAH: The Haramain high-speed railway will replace most buses transporting pilgrims between Makkah and Madinah by December 2016.

There would be 35 trains operational next year to serve more than 2 million pilgrims, a local Haramain official was quoted as saying recently by a local publication. Each train would have 15 carriages and 3 first class carriages, he said.

Work has now been completed on the train stations in Madinah and Rabigh’s King Abdullah Economic City. The stations in Makkah and Jeddah are almost complete, according to the official.

Testing has begun on the lines between Madinah and Rabigh. The work on signals, electricity infrastructure and other systems are also well advanced.

“The Haramain trains will travel at a speed of more than 300 km/h. A trip between Jeddah and Makkah will take only half an hour, while one between Jeddah and Madinah will take about 2 hours,” said the official.

Haramain railway to replace pilgrim buses in 2016 | Arab News

Expansion project of King Abdul-Aziz Airport in Jeddah to increase the capacity to 80 million passengers

KAIA City Proposal

King Abdulaziz International Airport - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia​

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Some photos from Hajj this year

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[Saif al-Arab]

The Sudanese-American innovator, Ahmad Muhammad (14), who was arrested in the US for absurd reasons took part in this year's Hajj as a personal guest of King Salman.

Here is the story:

Ahmed Mohamed: No charges for boy, 14, arrested over clock - BBC News