Work is now under way to build a wall encircling the train tracks connecting the holy sites at Makkah, an official of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has said.

Deputy Minister Habeeb Zayn Al-Abideen said the ministry called for bids from companies for the maintenance and operation of the train.

“The wall will be 20-km long and will cost SR 14.5 million,” he told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, a sister publication of Arab News.

“It is being built to stop violators from boarding the train. Last year, around 200,000 people used the train from Muzdalifah to Mina without having tickets.

“Bid envelops will be opened on Saturday. The company that is awarded the contract will have to allocate 30 percent of its workforce to Saudis during its first year. This percentage must be gradually increased until it reaches 80 percent in the fifth year,” he said.

The Ministry has asked the Chinese company that is currently operating the train to keep doing so during the next Haj season.

“We will not raise ticket prices, which currently stands at SR 250 for the entire trip during Haj. We will expand the current station at Muzdalifah to accommodate as many passengers as possible,” he said.

During last year’s Haj season, the train transported more than 90,000 pilgrims per hour using 20 modern cars. The longest trip, which is between Mina and Arafat, takes about 14 minutes. During the first three days of Haj, the train transported more than a million pilgrims.

The train began operations three years ago to help alleviate congestion at the holy sites. The use of trains has eliminated 70,000 buses, which were the only means of transportion in the past. The former bus area can now accommodate around 450,000 pilgrims.