JEDDAH, 4 June 2006 — Work on the new high-tech Jamrat project is in its full swing to complete the first phase, which includes the basement, ground floor and first floor, before the upcoming Haj.
“We have already completed 30 percent of the first phase,” said Habeeb Zainul Abideen, deputy minister of municipal and rural affairs. He said about 8,000 employees from the Saudi Binladin Group, which won the SR4.2 billion contract last year, are working around the clock in order to complete the project before the next Haj, which begins in late December. The new Jamrat Bridge is designed to hold 250,000 pilgrims an hour.
The project was designed by the government as part of its efforts to avoid stampedes and crowding in the Jamrat area. In the past, hundreds of pilgrims have died performing the stoning ritual with 360 pilgrims losing their lives as a result of a massive stampede on the last day of the Haj last year.
“The new project includes two helipads which will help in the speedy evacuation of casualties in case of accidents. One of the six towers of the complex will have a large escalator to take ambulances to the top level of the bridge,” Zainul Abideen said.
The new structure will have 10 entrances and 12 exits distributed over the four levels plus the ground floor to accommodate pilgrims coming from different directions.
The ground and first floor will be used by pilgrims coming from the east of Mina, who accounts for the bulk of the crowd. The second level will be used mainly by pilgrims coming from the direction of Makkah, the third level by those coming from the north of Mina and new pilgrim camps and the fourth level by pilgrims coming from the south of Makkah through King Abdul Aziz Road.
There will be three main tunnels for transporting vehicles. These tunnels will be connected to service towers for use by garbage collectors, ambulances and other services. There will also be a tunnel to be used by special delegations and VIPs.
Construction of a six-lane tunnel north of the bridge has started. The builders say this tunnel will transport pilgrims from the east of Mina to its west and will be linked to the Souk Al-Arab and Souk Al-Jowhara roads.
To manufacture pre-cast concrete blocks and other building materials required for the project the Saudi Binladin Group has established factories in Bahra, near Jeddah.
