JEDDAH, 6 December 2005 — A major seminar will be held in Makkah this month to debate the development plans for the city’s central region. Interior Minister and Chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee Prince Naif will open the seminar entitled “Studies on the Central Region of Makkah” on Dec. 27.
The seminar is significant as it comes ahead of the launch of several construction projects around the Grand Mosque, including the SR12 billion Jabal Omar project.
Dr. Muhammad Idrees, chairman of the organizing committee, said the seminar would focus on six main topics — construction, engineering, transportation, environment, awareness and media.
“We have invited a number of university professors as well as experts from engineering and consultancy offices and think-tanks to attend the seminar,” Dr. Idrees said.
He emphasized the need for making fundamental changes in construction patterns inside the central region in order to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims who come for Haj and Umrah every year.
The Kingdom is making preparations to host 10 million pilgrims annually.
“Making quick plans for such a large influx of pilgrims is essential in order to protect public interests. This demands setting out new construction strategies and comprehensive plans,” Dr. Idress said.
He said experts would give their word on large construction projects planned around the Grand Mosque before beginning them in order to avoid future problems.
“We have to set out a clear construction strategy for Makkah, giving due respect to its Islamic nature,” Dr. Idrees said, adding that the construction plan should be modern and avoid congestion within the central region. He said the new construction plans should also provide adequate places for pilgrims to pray around the Grand Mosque during peak seasons.
Economists said new construction projects around the Grand Mosque would translate into investments in excess of SR100 billion. According to a real estate expert, property owners in Makkah will receive SR4 billion in rents during this Haj season.
Nearly 1,000 foreign travel and tourism companies rent buildings in Makkah before Haj to accommodate some 300,000 pilgrims. Providing housing to the pilgrims is one of the conditions for getting Haj visas.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah last November launched six major projects in Makkah, including the SR12 billion Jabal Omar Residential Towers. Spread over an area of 230,000 square meters, the Jabal Omar project includes five-star hotels, commercial centers and prayer facilities for 200,000 worshippers.
The first phase of Jabal Khandama real estate project in Makkah will be launched shortly according to promoters, who said that 85 plots in the area were now ready to sell.
Plans have been made for the construction of hotels, shopping centers, restaurants and furnished apartments in Khandama. The first phase will see the construction of 7,458 rooms to accommodate pilgrims.
Tarek Faqeeh, supervisor of the project, said Khandama would attract investments worth more than SR6 billion. “We have made use of the expertise of international companies to prepare plans and designs for the project,” he said.
