Makkah: Kidana Development Company, the executive arm of the Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites (RCMC), announced the readiness of more than 20 development projects implemented in the Holy Sites in preparation for receiving the pilgrims for the Hajj season 1446 AH, reinforcing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's approach to pilgrims and underscoring the wise leadership's unwavering support for the Hajj season.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the projects aim to improve infrastructure, facilitate crowd movement, and enhance the levels of comfort, safety, and well-being, ensuring a distinguished and safe Hajj experience that achieves the highest standards of excellence in the services provided to pilgrims from every corner who come to perform the Hajj pilgrimage.
The development projects implemented by Kidana included developing the Muzdalifah path through implementing the "Path of the Holy Sites" project, which extends over an area of 170,000 m², and preparing it with environment-friendly rubber floors over an area of 103,000 m² to reduce temperatures and reduce physical stress and the risk of slipping; about 15,000 m² of green spaces; and allocating paths for vehicles, including golf cars and mobile carts; equipping the path with integrated elements of urban furniture, including 385 chairs for sitting, 780 water drinking fountains, 240 mobile phone charging units, 241 spray columns, and 12 umbrellas; and distributing 70 awareness, guidance, and educational panels.
Among the implemented projects, Kidana has prepared rest areas for pilgrims on the pedestrian paths between the Holy Sites with an area of 28,000 m², including 60 chairs, 15 commercial kiosks, 25 misting fans, 29 umbrellas, rubber floors with an area of 7,900 m², and green spaces, which contributes to facilitating the performance of Hajj rituals and ensuring the safety of pilgrims.
It has planted approximately 290,000 m² with more than 20,000 trees, set up water coolers with an area of 2,400 m², and mitigated the impact of heat stress in Jabal Al-Rahmah with an area of 196,000 m² and prepared it with umbrellas on an area of 1,200 m², and 129 misting fans to cool the climate and reduce the impact of direct sunlight on pilgrims during their movement and performance of rituals.
Kidana targeted the shading and development of 85,000 m² of the Namira Mosque courtyard, shading it with 320 canopies and 350 misting columns and planting trees in the area to enhance the pilgrims' experience. An area of 35,000 m² was selected for shading and cooling the paths in Mina, equipped with misting fans. Area of 60,000 m² was also selected for Arafat. The eastern courtyard of the Jamarat facility was targeted for the installation of 200 misting fans to reduce the impact of direct sunlight.
The projects included replacing the concrete stairs in Mina with 32 escalators to facilitate the movement of pilgrims, helping them perform their rituals without difficulty, especially for older people and those with disabilities. The projects also included developing a purification system and increasing its capacity by replacing 2,116 old single-story bathrooms with 5,628 double-story bathrooms in 61 complexes.
Kidana launched the "Towards Mina" project to develop spatial guidance, enhance crowd flow, facilitate pilgrims' movement, reduce the number of lost pilgrims, and guide them to their camps through signage and colors consistent with the camp area divisions and the roles of the Jamarat facility. It also rehabilitated and prepared 135 sites for additional pressure boxes in Mina to raise the level of cleanliness and environmental safety.
In the housing sector, Kidana, in partnership with the private sector, implemented the first phase of the two-story tent project, which features a housing area exceeding 20,000 m² across more than 40 equipped buildings. It also increased the capacity of Arafat by preparing spaces within the estimated legal limit of more than 27,000 m² to facilitate crowd organization and the distribution of pilgrims more efficiently and flexibly, especially during peak times.
Kidana established an emergency hospital in Mina within 30 days with an area of 5,300 m² and a capacity of more than 180 beds, in addition to establishing 71 temporary emergency departure centers and 14 emergency services centers carefully distributed in strategic locations along the path and providing logistical assistance such as water, snacks, and guidance to pilgrims.
Kidana developed more than 100 rental units designed according to the guidelines of the architecture of Makkah and the Holy Sites. It signed contracts with local brands for the first time in the Holy Sites to provide services in the catering sector, banks, pharmacies, restaurants, and cafes. It established 72 charity distribution centers to organize charitable services during the season.
The Hajj season remains an annual testament to the cooperation of the sectors involved in serving pilgrims and their efforts to provide integrated services that contribute to a safe and smooth Hajj journey. The pilgrims' needs are met from the moment they arrive at the Two Holy Mosques through the smooth and effortless performance of the rituals until they depart home safely and with a rich Hajj experience.