Saudi Gazette report

MAKKAH — The Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites CEO Eng. Saleh Bin Ibrahim Al-Rasheed said that the commission is working on developing more than 30 new neighborhoods in Makkah to show it in its modern form.

Eng. Al-Rasheed made the remarks during the dialogue session within the 22nd Scientific Forum for Hajj, Umrah,

He added that the new neighborhoods depends on architectural identity based on 3 main assets, the first of which is the second Saudi expansion for the Grand Mosque, the second on the traditional architectural buildings in Makkah, while the third one is based on the nature of the valleys and mountains in Makkah.

He said that the commission has launched a number of projects regarding several matters, including the ring roads. He confirmed that they have opened up the 4th ring road to facilitate movement.

The first ring road will be available for movement ahead of the upcoming Ramadan season. This is alongside the Masar project, which is considered the first developed model in Makkah.

The Director General of Passports (Jawazat) Lt. Gen. Sulaiman Al-Yahya said that the Makkah Route Initiative has been applied to several countries, noting that there is huge demand from other countries.

Lt. Gen. Al-Yahya said that allowing this service of (Makkah Route) is subject to specified studies and standards to ensure that the application of this service in the concerned country achieves the desired results.

He added that 13% of pilgrims have benefited from the Makkah Route Initiative during the previous Hajj season 2022. This initiative has facilitated a lot for pilgrims, and shortened the wait time for them.