Makkah airport and metro plans underway: Official

MAKKAH: Plans to build an airport and a metro system in Makkah are underway, according to an official, as the city moves ahead with major transport and infrastructure upgrades.

CEO of the Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites, Saleh Al-Rasheed, said in an interview with Harvard Business Review that approval has been secured for the strategic and economic investment directions to develop Makkah Airport to global standards, aimed at serving millions of visitors.

He added that the Commission will work with the private sector to develop suitable investment models without affecting the feasibility of airports in neighboring cities.

Al-Rasheed said feasibility studies and preliminary designs for the Makkah Metro have also been completed.

Beyond transport, he outlined broader efforts to improve services and the overall experience for residents and visitors through projects covering housing, infrastructure and public services, while ensuring alignment with community needs.

He highlighted key performance targets, including raising satisfaction levels among residents and visitors to 90.5% by 2025.

Among the initiatives is the “Smart Makkah” program, which uses artificial intelligence to monitor and manage crowd movement in the Grand Mosque and surrounding areas.

This includes predictive systems for crowd flow at the Jamarat Bridge and central zones, as well as aerial imaging integrated with the “Balady” application to improve the pilgrim experience.

Al-Rasheed also pointed to transport improvements, including advancements in bus, taxi and guided transport systems, alongside the launch of “Makkah Taxi,” featuring modern vehicles equipped with tracking systems and electronic payment options, as well as electric and hybrid models.

The Makkah bus network currently operates 400 buses across 12 routes, covering most neighborhoods and serving 430 stops, in addition to four main stations in the central area.

“Since operations began in February 2022, service users have exceeded 185 million passengers, with more than 3.8 million trips completed,” he said.

At the infrastructure level, major sections of the first, second and third ring roads have been completed and linked to key routes leading to the Grand Mosque and holy sites, including King Abdulaziz Road and Ibrahim Al-Khalil Road, alongside upgraded city entrances.

Al-Rasheed noted expanded service facilities around the Grand Mosque, including 60 maintenance buildings and 32 electric escalators, as part of efforts to enhance operational efficiency and Hajj sustainability.

Development projects also include upgrading eight sites in Arafat covering around 190,000 square meters, establishing two-story tents over 33,000 square meters, developing 10 residential towers with a capacity for 27,000 pilgrims, and building a 200-bed emergency hospital in Mina.

In sustainability efforts, the Commission, through Kidana Development Company, is planting 20,000 trees, developing water-cycle complexes, and implementing shaded and cooled walkways exceeding 285,000 square meters.

He added that integrated waste management projects, carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, have delivered savings exceeding SR310 million through improvements to water and sewage networks.

Al-Rasheed said these developments will also support the private sector, including the establishment of the West Jamarat station, enabling Tawaf Al-Ifadah to be completed within 20 minutes with a capacity of 20,000 passengers per hour, along with the development of six new public markets and upgrades to three existing ones.

He added that the Commission has adopted a comprehensive approach to redefining central areas, including increasing pedestrian spaces by 127%, adding more than 30,000 square meters of shaded areas, and improving crowd management to reduce congestion.