Makkah to host 4 million pilgrims after expansion

A long-term master development plan costing a whopping $27 billion will largely expand Islam’s holy city of Makkah, allowing it to accommodate nearly four million pilgrims at a time in 2040, according to Saudi newspapers.

The project, which was launched two years ago, has already lifted the capacity of Masjid Al Haram (grand mosque) and other holy sites in the western Saudi city to 2.8 million people from 2.5 million, they said.

The expansions cover all ritual sites including the grand mosque, Mount Arafat, areas where tents for pilgrims are set up and roads leading to those sites.

More passenger vans and busses will also be put in service following the completion of the city’s first passenger train to transport pilgrims three years ago.

“The master development plan envisages expansion of all ritual sites by 2040, Makkah will be able to receive four million pilgrims at a time,” the Saudi Arabic language daily Aleqtisadiah said, quoting government officials.

It said the project also involves the construction of new roads and more buildings for the pilgrims, who converge on Saudi Arabia from most other countries to perform Haj (pilgrimage) every year.

The plan also included the construction of the world’s tallest clock tower, which started ticking in late 2010. Saudi officials said they hoped the clock would establish Makkah as an alternate time standard to the Greenwich median.

The tower, overlooking the grand mosque, is around 601 metres high, making it the world's second tallest building - ahead of Taiwan's 509 metre Taipei 101, but well behind the Burj Khalifa, the 828 metre skyscraper in Dubai.

More than six times larger in diameter than London's famed Big Ben, the clock faces, with the Arabic words ‘In the Name of Allah’ in huge lettering underneath and is lit with two million LED lights.

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