The long commute is due to the lack of exits on the Haramain Expressway, which causes traffic to snarl. There are only four entries and exits for more than 900,000 people living in these areas: a small crossing under the bridge on the Haramain Expressway near the Marjan Market (formerly the Syrian Market), an exit on the Briman Bridge, another interchange on the bridge on Palestine Road and a fourth one before the Air Base after the Airport Bridge.

Thousands of cars were seen using these exits and entries at the same time, making it impossible for them to pass through in less than 30 minutes.

“We suffer greatly coming to our homes and going out of them,” said local resident Muhammad Al-Johani.  He said the execution of the Haramain Railway project took longer than planned, creating traffic impasses.

“The deadline given to us by the municipality and the traffic police to finish the project passed four months ago and yet there was no indication of an end to this predicament,” he added.

Al-Johani said in the face of this arduous situation, they had to start the morning journey to the schools at early as 4 a.m. though schools do not start before 7 a.m.

“I take my children to their schools before Fajr prayer. I stop at the nearest mosque for the prayer and then continue the difficult journey. We face the same difficulty taking our children back home after school,” he said.

Abdullah Al-Zibaidi, another resident, said they tried in vain over the years to get help from the municipality and the traffic police.

“We also approached the municipal council but nothing was done to solve our problem,” he said.

Al-Zaidi said they suffered more from traffic impasses than they did from the rains and floods that swept their districts in November 2009.

Meanwhile, director of students' transport project in Makkah province, Marwan Al-Sulaimani, said they had no such problems since none of their students were residing in east Jeddah.

“However, on a personal level I am one of the victims because I live in east Jeddah,” he said.

Al-Sulaimani said it takes him every day two hours to cross a distance of half a kilometer because of the traffic congestion.