Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal will open next month a trailer bus service called “To and From Haram” in order to tackle the increasing traffic problem in Makkah during the Haj and Umrah seasons.
The bus service comes under the Social Partnership Charter Project launched by the Makkah governorate, Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), and the Makkah District Centers Society (MDCS) with the support of the Saudi Afkar Co.
Saudi Afkar Co. Chief Yusuf Al-Ahmedi, Secretrary-General of the MDCS Yahya Zamzami and MCCI President Talal Mirza participated in the trial run of the buses on Tuesday, Al-Madinah daily reported yesterday.
A SR 1-million trailer bus can carry 200 people.
Saudi Afkar Co. is sponsoring the project with the participation of the Dallah Al-Barakah Co. and the Binladin Group. For the time being, four buses have been allocated for the service. This will be increased to 10 before the beginning of the Haj season. After the experimental stage, a company will be set up to manage the project.
Under the King Abdullah Project, another project for the development of Makkah, four main roads from and to the Grand Mosque will be built to ensure the smooth flow of pilgrims.
The experimental bus service, which is approved by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, will be available only during Haj and Umrah seasons.
Al-Ahmedi said the system would be extended to other roads in the city if the experiment were found successful. Each bus will have special facilities for physically challenged pilgrims. They will be able to get in and out from the bus in their wheel chairs on the specially designed flat and inclined entrance. The buses are currently under construction in Istanbul, Turkey, and in future some will be imported from China.
He added that the idea was being considered over the past two years. He called on businessmen in Makkah and other provinces to invest in the project, which also includes endowments, as the service is mainly intended for pilgrims. He added that the project already had endowments worth SR 40 million. Another project undertaken as part of endowment is a golf car service for disabled pilgrims.
Zamzami said 30 companies are already participating in service projects.
Mirza said this is the first of the many services of the partnership to follow.
Earlier, it was announced that a mass rail transit system will be introduced in Makkah. The metro system will connect major areas in the city with the Grand Mosque and will also be linked to the Mashair and Haramain railways.
