Phase three project to upgrade mataf expected to be ready before Haj season

Phase three of the project to upgrade the mataf (structure encircling the Kaabah) at Masjidil Haram (the Grand Mosque) here is expected to be completed before the Haj season this year.

Makkah Mayor Dr Osama Fadl al-Baar said 130,000 pigrims would be able to circle the Kaabah per hour compared to 70,000 pilgrims at present.

"This means, the capacity of the mataf can be upgraded to accomodate two people for every square metre," he told a media conference with the Malaysian media at his office here, on Sunday.

Also present was Tabung Haji's Haj Consul, Redhuan Sabaruddin.

Osama said the subsequent phases to upgrade the mataf were scheduled to be completed next year.

"About two million Muslims can pray inside Masjidil Haram when the project to expand the mosque is completed compared to 600,000 currently," he said.

Meanwhile, he said other projects such as light rail transit Metro Makkah and other public transportation systems including buses were scheduled to be ready in stages up to the year 2020.

He said the high speed train project, al-Haramain, which is scheduled to be completed in 2017, would shorten the journeys from Madinah and Jeddah to Makkah.

"The journey from Madinah to Makkah will only take two hours from the King Abdul Aziz International Airport. The trip from Jeddah to Makkah will only be 30 minutes," he added.