Makkah: Kidana Development Company, the executive arm of the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites, has successfully completed over 25 significant infrastructure and service development projects in preparation for the 1447 AH Hajj season. These efforts are in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative, reflecting the country’s commitment to enhancing the experience of pilgrims.
According to Saudi Press Agency, one of the key advancements this season includes the expansion of Mina’s emergency hospital capacity to 400 beds. Additionally, the development includes the construction of 66,000 square meters of pedestrian rest areas and the shading of 103,000 square meters of walkways. Furthermore, 60,000 trees have been planted across the holy sites to enhance the environment and provide natural shade.
In a bid to improve crowd management, safety, and comfort for the pilgrims, Kidana has installed 74 escalators to the Mina highlands. The Jamarat facility has been upgraded with 400 new misting fans. Thousands of modern multi-story restrooms have been built to reduce wait times, and extensive fire, cooling, and SCADA-supported infrastructure have been deployed. Moreover, the electrical grid network has been upgraded to 550 MVA to support these enhancements.
A notable highlight of the development projects is the first-of-its-kind initiative around Mount Arafat (Jabal Al-Rahma). This project includes the installation of 21 modern fountains, 42 misting fans, and extensive cooling networks covering an area exceeding 392,000 square meters. This development significantly boosts the site’s operational utilization rate fivefold, providing pilgrims with protection from peak summer temperatures.