JEDDAH, 14 July — The Interior Ministry will install 14 large signboards around Makkah to demarcate borders of the holy Haram area. The ministry’s center for development projects has already started work on the SR2 million project, the Okaz newspaper reported yesterday.
A special committee headed by Sheikh Muhammad Al-Subail, imam and khateeb of the Grand Mosque, is supervising the demarcation project — the second of its kind in history. The panel comprises prominent Islamic scholars.
Ahmad Obeid Al-Malki, director general of the contracting company implementing the project, told Okaz that the committee had identified spots for erecting concrete structures marking the Haram perimeters.
He said the boards indicating the outer end of the Haram area would be set up along the Jeddah-Makakh Highway, Taif-Makkah-Hada Road, Taif-Makkah-Sail Road, Madinah-Makkah Expressway, Old Shumaisy Road, Laith Road and Hosainiya Road.
The seven-meter high and three-meter wide concrete structures will be designed in accordance with the principles of Islamic architecture. “It is the second such project in the history of the Holy Kaaba,” Al-Malki said, adding that the project would be completed by March next year.
The project follows the formation of the Makkah Development Authority for supervising the overall development of the holy city. The MDA’s first meeting discussed the general development plan for Makkah as well as the project to develop courtyards and public utilities around the Grand Mosque.
Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed said the authority would make all-out efforts to provide all basic and support services needed by the holy city. He said communications services would be improved by making use of the latest technology.
An executive committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Prince Abdul Majeed to set out an organizational structure for the authority and establish an office for planning and organization. The committee will seek outside technical help to complete the project.
Prince Abdul Majeed said the authority would work for the development of Makkah based on judicious planning. “We’ll work out a plan for developing Makkah over a 50-year-period and hand over this mission to those who come after us,” he said.
According to Al-Bilad Arabic daily, the MDA is considering a proposal made by King Fahd Haj Research Institute to demolish the Jamrat bridge in Mina and build spiral paths around the three stoning areas (Jamrat Al-Aqaba, Jamrat Al-Sughra and Jamrat Al-Wusta) to ease congestion in the area and to ensure safety of pilgrims.
