Crowds are part of Mecca, especially during pilgrimage seasons. Getting in and around the city is not always simple. For a while, there’ve been plans to build an airport and metro system in the city. And now, they have become one step closer to reality.
Authorities say both projects are officially moving into the next phase.
Saleh Al-Rasheed, CEO of the Royal Commission for Mecca City and the Holy Sites, confirmed that teams have completed the airport studies. Authorities are now working with private sector partners to define how they will build and operate the hub.
Work on the metro has reached the same stage. Teams have completed feasibility studies and initial designs. The metro will reduce pressure on the roads and make it easier to move between key areas, especially during the busiest times of the year.
There’s another major project in the works for Mecca. The number of worshippers visiting the city continues to rise each year. To accommodate more people, the King Salman Gate project will create around 900,000 additional praying spaces near the Great Mosque.
A new two-tower Sofitel hotel is also planned, with 1,141 rooms and suites. It will be the largest project in the brand’s global portfolio.
