The minister was on a tour of the Crown Prince Land Plot in the southern part of the holy city.
The residents were represented by Mattar bin Ahmed Al-Nasser, Saleh bin Saeed Al-Zahrani and Miteb Al-Mahfouz.
The Makkawis presented a number of demands to the minister, including allowing them to build additional floors in the buildings in a number of districts and plots, provision of electricity and sewage services, asphalting roads, and expediting compensations for the real estate units confiscated by the government for development projects in Makkah. Al-Mahfouz said the minister listened to their demands and promised to resolve them as soon as possible. He said the minister assured the citizens that the ministry would review its ban on additional floors.
“I will ask the mayor to attach your demands to the study on the issue conducted by the municipality for the careful consideration of the ministry. We will then take the appropriate decision that will serve the interests of the Makkah residents,” he quoted the minister as saying.
Al-Mahfouz said Prince Mansour also promised to fulfill other demands including the asphalting of roads and the provision of electricity and sewage services.
On the issue of financial compensations for the confiscated properties, Al-Mahfouz said the minister directed the officials of his ministry to study the demands of the citizens in this respect and to take the decisions that would best serve their general interests.
On his part, Mayor Osama Al-Bar said the minister’s immediate response to the demands of the citizens reflected his keenness to serve the interests of the holy city, its residents and visitors. He particularly lauded the minister’s attitude toward revisiting the decision banning the construction of more floors to the existing buildings.
He said the Crown Prince Land Plot was among the mega investments projects in the Kingdom in general and in Makkah in particular. He said the municipality offered tenders for the development of the plots to the private sector.
The municipality has forwarded a comprehensive study on the need to build additional floors to the ministry. The study was conducted by a number of experts and engineering consultancy offices.
