“There are two options. Either we construct concrete buildings or set up tents with modern designs,” said Habib Zain Al-Abidine, deputy minister of municipal and rural affairs, who estimated the cost of building the new city at SR30 billion.

Al-Abidine said the new city project would be completed within five years. “We’ll construct either multistory buildings or tents to accommodate 1.5 million pilgrims,” he told Okaz Arabic daily.

The new city project in Mina would enable the Saudi government to allow more pilgrims from within the Kingdom and abroad to take part in the annual pilgrimage. More than 2.5 million pilgrims, the majority from abroad, perform Haj every year.

The minister said plans for three new projects worth SR1.4 billion would be presented to higher authorities for approval. They include the construction of toilets and car parks in the holy sites and the shifting of slaughterhouses outside Mina.

He said over the past 17 years, a number of development projects have been carried out at the holy sites at a total cost of SR30 billion.

Al-Abidine said the new train system linking the holy sites of Makkah, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifa would transport 150,000 pilgrims this year.

“We have no plan to change the shape of the trains because the present shape was selected on the basis of scientific studies,” he said.

Al-Abidine said the new railway system was implemented in accordance with international standards. “When trains operate between the holy sites, pilgrims will feel the difference, especially with the disappearance of 30,000 buses,” he pointed out.

Al-Abidine said the government has spent more than SR6 billion on the railway project.

He said the Chinese company, which carried out the Mashair railway project, is obliged to operate and maintain the trains for three years. It will also train Saudis in operation and maintenance. “We have conducted workshops for Tawafa organizations to operate railway stations and manage crowds,” he said.

He said the new railway system would serve domestic pilgrims in the first phase, adding that ticket fares will be included in the service charge. He said trains would operate throughout the year.