MAKKAH: A 40-meter wide pedestrian road linking the new King Abdul Aziz Road with the western courtyard of the Grand Mosque is under construction, according to an informed source.
Work on the road, which will be called the King Abdul Aziz Pedestrian Road, is being undertaken by the Jabal Omar Development Co.
The pedestrian road is an alternative to a previously proposed scheme to build a tunnel for pilgrims coming to the western side of the Grand Mosque during peak seasons.
Work on huge construction projects in Makkah have resumed after a brief lull during the Haj season.
The Jabal Omar project will also include a circular road to ease traffic to and from the project area. The busy Ibrahim Khalil Road is also to see a vehicle underpass to ensure pedestrians do not mix with traffic. On completion, the project would allow 40,000 worshippers to pray during the peak seasons.
The Makkah monorail project is progressing as scheduled. Its first phase will be commissioned next year with completion of 35 percent of the project. The stations of the monorail will be at elevated locations to avoid interference with road traffic. Huge escalators will help passengers reach stations, which will have a capacity to accommodate 6,000 passengers.
Work on the monorail is also under way in Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina. One of the stations will be close to the entrance of the fifth floor of the Al-Jamrat Bridge so that pilgrims can reach the bridge by rail.
The demolition of 1,000 properties close to the Grand Mosque as part of the expansion project of the northern courtyard is also ongoing. Thirty-five projects of floodwater drainage and electricity supply are currently being undertaken in various parts of the city.
