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S_87
04-30-2007, 03:37 PM
JEDDAH, 30 April 2007 — Plans have been made to increase the capacity of the Grand Mosque in Makkah by 35 percent in order to accommodate the growing numbers of pilgrims and worshippers especially during the peak Haj and Umrah seasons, sources close to the project said.

The sources said that the Makkah Development Authority, the Makkah Municipality and the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques’ Affairs are currently conducting intensive studies concerning the expansion project to be completed by 2020.

The Makkah Development Authority has approved the master plan for the development of the city’s central region. The plan aims at accommodating three million residents and eight million pilgrims. The Saudi Binladin Group has begun work on the expansion of the running area (masaa) between Safa and Marwa. The project aims at reducing overcrowding and will be completed before the next Haj season. Plans are under way to air-condition the entire built-up area of the mosque.

The Saudi government has spent more than SR70 billion on the expansion of the Two Holy Mosques in recent years. Each mosque can now hold more than a million worshippers at a time.

As part of efforts to develop Makkah’s central region, in 2005 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah launched six major projects, including the SR12 billion Jabal Omar Residential Towers. Spread over 230,000 square meters, the Jabal Omar project includes five-star hotels, commercial centers and prayer facilities.

According to Habib Zain Al-Abidine, undersecretary at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, some 25 new real estate projects are being carried out in the center of Makkah. The total cost will exceed SR100 billion.

Sami Barhameen, secretary-general of the Makkah Development Authority, said the development projects to be implemented around the Grand Mosque were designed to enable worshippers to follow the imam at the Grand Mosque during prayers. The projects will not affect the underground flow of Zamzam water.

Faek Ibrahim, a trader in Makkah, welcomed the government’s move to expand the central area. “This project will benefit everybody,” he told Arab News. Ibrahim has been doing business in the Muddai area located close to the Haram for several years.

He and many other Saudi traders were asked to vacate the area at the time of the last expansion project 15 years ago. “All traders who vacated the area were given substantial amounts in compensation,” he said. The expansion created more housing and prayer areas for pilgrims and worshippers.

Muhammad Alauddin, a resident of the Shamiya neighborhood, believes that the new projects in the central area will change the face of Makkah, removing disorganized neighborhoods and dilapidated buildings. However, he complained that expatriate workers have benefited most froom the expansion work. “As a result, many Saudi traders in the area have lost their businesses,” he pointed out. This has happened not only in Shamiya but also in other areas such as Harrat Al-Bab, Al-Hijrah, Shabaka and Gaza. Architect Mohammed Bazaid expressed his satisfaction over the continuous development of the central region. He said the new projects would transform Makkah into a world-class city. He also complained that non-Saudi workers have occupied most shops in areas surrounding the mosque.
source


sounds cool mashaAllah
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'Abd al-Baari
04-30-2007, 03:44 PM
:sl:

Mashallah..you know you often hear complaints regarding the Saudi Government but Mashallah they take really good care of the holy Masjids.
May Allah swt help them and make it a success..Ameen
Jazakallah Khair for sharing
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- Qatada -
04-30-2007, 03:52 PM
:wasalamex


Alhamdulillah :) does that mean they'll just extend the area where the salaah is performed? [like the white tiles?] or the actual building?



:salamext:
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S_87
04-30-2007, 03:54 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Fi_Sabilillah
:wasalamex


Alhamdulillah :) does that mean they'll just extend the area where the salaah is performed? [like the white tiles?] or the actual building?



:salamext:
:sl:

it looks like theyll be doing the inside also since the safa marwah running area falls inside the building:?
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- Qatada -
04-30-2007, 03:58 PM
:wasalamex


Allaahu a'lam, when you leave the gate where you perform the Sa'ee - theres white tiles outside there too. So thats part of the masalaah if you get me.. which means that all they really need to do is extend the white tiles on the outside?


I don't really understand this issue much so i might be wrong.. because i thought that you can't pray salaah on the roads there [with congregation] because thats outside the area where you can pray? So they might just be extending it so it goes onto the roads aswell without changing the building, because extending the building wont really do anything since people pray outside anyway.
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'Abd al-Baari
04-30-2007, 04:00 PM
:sl:

Maybe they'll do both
Allah knows best
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S_87
04-30-2007, 04:15 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Fi_Sabilillah
:wasalamex


Allaahu a'lam, when you leave the gate where you perform the Sa'ee - theres white tiles outside there too. So thats part of the masalaah if you get me.. which means that all they really need to do is extend the white tiles on the outside?


I don't really understand this issue much so i might be wrong.. because i thought that you can't pray salaah on the roads there [with congregation] because thats outside the area where you can pray? So they might just be extending it so it goes onto the roads aswell without changing the building, because extending the building wont really do anything since people pray outside anyway.
:sl:

yh thats true but it seems atm they are widening the saee area.

and cant you pray on the roads? :omg: :phew i thought that was if there was a break in the jamah like the opposite side of the road but what if its a continuation? would that not be ok? :?
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- Qatada -
04-30-2007, 04:19 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by amani
:sl:

yh thats true but it seems atm they are widening the saee area.

and cant you pray on the roads? :omg: :phew i thought that was if there was a break in the jamah like the opposite side of the road but what if its a continuation? would that not be ok? :?

:wasalamex


Allaahu a'lam, i might be wrong, its better to refer to a scholar inshaa Allaah. So don't accept what i said yet inshaa Allaah unless there is proof.


If it's the sa'ee area, then that would be good masha Allaah since we probably need more space, and they'll probably need to expand the Masjid then. I wonder if it'll be a problem for the people performing it right now though..


Subhaan Allaah i really want to go there now.



:salamext:
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islamirama
05-07-2008, 04:18 AM
Expansion of Haram Ordered

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has approved an expansion of the Grand Mosque’s northern courtyard, Prince Miteb, minister of municipal and rural affairs. Prince Miteb said the project would include construction of pedestrian tunnels and a service station.

The royal approval covers expropriation of real estate on the northern and northwestern sides of the mosque, covering an area of 300,000 square meters.
“Special committees have begun estimating the value of real estate in the area in order to expropriate them for the purpose,” Prince Miteb told the Saudi Press Agency. “The technical team for the expansion will continue its work until the project is completed on time,” he added.

Sami Al-Harbi, a businessman who owns property in Shamiya, said most buildings in the area have been constructed in a haphazard manner. “The areas of Shamiya and Sulaimaniya, located close to the Haram, have not witnessed any major expansions in the past”.

Abdullah Sulaiman Al-Mushat, who owns hotels in Shamiya, said new real estate projects would spring up in the area in order to accommodate a growing number of Haj and Umrah pilgrims. He hoped the government would pay generous compensation to real estate owners in the area.

Hani Al-Hazimi, another Saudi businessman, said expropriation of land in the area started some time ago and that people were being compensated generously. “Some have got more than SR100 million,” he added.

Last year, the Presidency for the Two Holy Mosques Affairs implemented several utility and service projects at a cost of SR1.2 billion.



http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=105361&d=6&m=1&y=2008

cid013801c8ac6bc457b6a05101a8c0@shahid167394f1 -

cid013901c8ac6bc457b6a05101a8c0@shahid167394f1 -
Property Prices to Soar Due to Grand Mosque Expansion

JEDDAH, 28 January 2008 — The recent announcement to expand the north and northwestern courtyards of the Grand Mosque in Makkah is dramatically increasing real estate prices in the central area of the holy city with businessmen and analysts expecting prices to exceed SR1 million per square meter.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah approved the new expansion project earlier this month. The approval includes the acquisition of land and other properties, covering an area of 300,000 square meters. Special committees have begun estimating the value of real estate in the area and as many as 1,000 properties in the Shamiya and Shubaika areas will be demolished as part of the expansion project. The government has also allocated some SR6 billion to be paid in compensation for properties. Sources said the demolition of old buildings in the area would begin on March 9.

The project will change the face of Makkah with many families, who have been living in the area for several years, forced to find accommodation in other places. Shamiya and Shubaika, next to the massive prayer complex, are situated in one of the most expensive pieces of real estate in the world.

Analysts said land prices in the area would go up astronomically after the acquisition. Al-Sharief Mansour Abu Rayash, chairman of the Real Estate Committee at the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the announcement about the expansion had already increased prices to SR250,000 per square meter in some areas. He expects prices would shoot up to SR1 million as a result of growing projects.

Abu Rayash, who is on the committee for the evaluation of real estate for acquisition, said the panel would consider the distance of the property from the mosque. “The closer the property, the higher its price,” he said.

Hani Al-Amri, a real estate analyst, said owners of hotels, furnished villas and other properties in Shamiya, Marwah, Raquba and Jabal Al-Kaaba areas would demand high prices in compensation because of their proximity to the Grand Mosque. “This would in turn lead to increasing prices of real estate in the area,” he added. Average annual house rent in Makkah’s northern and eastern districts has reached SR20,000 to SR25,000 and in southeastern neighborhoods SR35,000.

Mohammed Shaker Al-Dahlawi, director of compensation at the Ministry of Transport, said those who purchase land in the area would be able to make a huge profit by constructing multi-story buildings. Al-Dahlawi, however, pointed out that low-income people, including pilgrims, would find it difficult to get accommodation close to the Haram after the demolition of buildings in Shamiya and Shubaika.

According to reports, the Shamiya neighborhood is more than 500 years old. Many well-known families have lived in areas close to the holy mosque for years. They include Hashim, Tayeb, Kurdi, Jifry, Yamani, Dahlan, Dahlawi, Zahid, Mufti, Fatani, Ghazawi, Turki, Gazzaz, Hariri, Kattan, Basarawi, Iraqi, Abu Mansour, Ojaimi, Rushaidi, Qusti, Shatta and Abu Al-Naja.

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=106177&d=28&m=1&y=2008
__,_._,___
Demolitions Begin to Make Room for More Worshippers

12 March 2008 — Demolition of property to the north and northwest of the Grand Mosque in Makkah has begun to create more prayer space for a growing number of pilgrims and worshippers.

The new expansion project ordered by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah will add more than 300,000 square meters to the existing mosque complex and help accommodate 500,000 more worshippers.

As many as 1,000 properties in the Shamiya and Shubaika neighborhoods will be demolished and the government has allocated SR6 billion in compensation for property owners.

The Saudi Electricity Company and Saudi Telecom Company have disconnected services to houses and hotels in those areas.

The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs is supervising the project, considered the largest expansion in the mosque’s history. At present the mosque can accommodate more than a million worshippers.

“This is one of the largest development projects related to the Grand Mosque and will change the face of the holy city,” said Makkah Mayor Osama Al-Bar.

Al-Bar said pedestrian tunnels would be constructed linking the northern areas with the mosque’s new courtyard as part of the expansion.

The project has dramatically increased real estate prices in the central area of the holy city.

Al-Sharief Mansour Abu Rayash, chairman of the Real Estate Committee at the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the announcement of the expansion itself had resulted in prices increasing to SR250,000 per square meter in some areas. He expects prices to shoot up to SR1 million eventually.

Hani Al-Amri, a real estate analyst, said owners of hotels, furnished apartments and other properties in Shamiya, Marwah, Raquba and Jabal Al-Kaaba areas would demand high prices in compensation because of their proximity to the Grand Mosque. “This would in turn lead to increasing prices of real estate in the area,” he added.

Mohammed Shaker Al-Dahlawi, director of compensation at the Ministry of Transport, said those who purchase land in the area would be able to make huge profits by constructing multistory buildings.

Al-Dahlawi, however, pointed out that low-income people, including pilgrims, would find it difficult to get accommodation close to the Haram after the demolitions.

The project will cover an entire area starting from Masjid Al-Haram Street and Gazza on the east to Jabal Al-Kaaba Street and Shubaika Graveyard on the west. It will also run through Abu Sufyan Street, Raquba Street, Abdullah ibn Zubair Street, Jabal Hindi and Khaled ibn Walid Street reaching Jabal Kaaba Street.



http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=107765&d=12&m=3&y=2008
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islamirama
05-07-2008, 04:20 AM
King OKs Rail Link Between Holy Cities

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has ordered the implementation of the Makkah-Jeddah-Madinah railway project using Saudi local funds, Transport Minister Dr. Jabara Al-Seraisry announced yesterday.

He said the royal directive would speed up the implementation of the project known as Makkah-Madinah Rail Link (MMRL), which is estimated to cost SR20 billion ($5.33 billion) and bring about revolutionary changes in the transportation of pilgrims between the two holy cities.

The minister said the MMRL, designed to operate trains with a speed of over 300 km per hour, would reduce travel time between Jeddah and Makkah to 30 minutes and between Jeddah and Madinah to not more than two hours.

The MMRL includes the construction of approximately 500 km of new high-speed electrified railway lines between Jeddah and Makkah and between Jeddah and Madinah. Railway lines will be equipped with modern signaling and telecommunications systems.

“We have already finalized the route for the rail project and identified the locations for stations in Makkah, Jeddah and Madinah,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the minister as saying. He said the project would improve the quality of public transport in the Kingdom.

An informed source told Arab News that special committees are currently surveying the land along the route to implement the project. The committees will also estimate the money to be paid to land owners in compensation after land acquisition.

MMRL will have stations at Jeddah Islamic Port, King Abdul Aziz International Airport and King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh, the source said, adding that it would pass by the eastern border of Jeddah.

Six consortia — the Al-Rajhi Consortium, the Saudi Binladin Group, Saudi Oger, the Saudi Japanese Consortium, the Al-Sholah Consortium and the OHL International — are vying for the contract.

In a previous statement, Al-Seraisry said the six consortia would be invited to submit their tenders within a few months. Railway contractors believe that the project would be awarded to one consortium or two consortia by the beginning of 2009 after completing studies on financial and technical offers.

The MMRL aims to provide a safe, fast, and comfortable mode of transport for an estimated 10 million Umrah and Haj pilgrims traveling between the two holy cities and Jeddah. The project will be implemented on a design, build, operate and transfer (DBOT) basis.

Highlighting the profitability of the project, Al-Seraisry said the MMRL would make SR500 million by 2010 and SR750 million by 2030. The populations of Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah are collectively in excess of five million. Jeddah is home to about 2.8 million people.

The MMRL is part of a major railway expansion program, which involves the construction of 950 km of new tracks between Riyadh and Jeddah and a 115 km line between Dammam and Jubail.

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IB-Staff
05-07-2008, 05:53 AM
King OKs Rail Link Between Holy Cities


Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has ordered the implementation of the Makkah-Jeddah-Madinah railway project using Saudi local funds, Transport Minister Dr. Jabara Al-Seraisry announced yesterday.
Yest? No date... no source?

The other two articles are more than a month old :hmm:
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'Abd al-Baari
05-07-2008, 06:32 AM
:sl:

^ 21 February 2008
Souce > http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&sect...=21&m=2&y=2008
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ayesha309
05-09-2008, 03:56 AM
:sl:
This is all very interesting. I hope lower income families get accomodation close to the haram though, although that doesn't look too possible. Bro Naj has posted some pictures of the new expansion on his blog. you can view them here:
http://www.haramainrecordings.com/20...expansion.html

Furthermore, Sheikh Sudais, in his Khutbah last week discussed the importance of new expansion for the growing number of pilgirms. The khutbah can be watched here:
http://www.haramainrecordings.com/20...1429_7989.html
OR
http://www.haramainrecordings.com/20...i-1429_03.html (English translation)
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