Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Jar Allah
The external courtyards of the Grand Mosque in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, which is called the (expansion), played a great positive role in accommodating the movement of pilgrims, Umrah performers, and visitors to the Grand Mosque in Mecca over the past years, that is, 40 years ago, since its establishment. The mosque, so it had the function of external movement, absorbing the crowding of doors and entrances, but in recent years, to be this year 2023, it became a necessity to accommodate worshipers, as it turned into a place for prayer after the increase in the number of pilgrims and Umrah performers to be a basic extension of the corridors of the sanctuary, and it is closed with barriers if the mosque and the square are crowded with worshipers For the rest of the pilgrims and Umrah performers to perform prayers at the entrances of hotels, roads and back streets.
Expectations indicate that the numbers of arrivals for Hajj and Umrah will reach (30) million visitors to the Two Holy Mosques in 2030, as well as tourism expectations indicating that 100 million internal and external tourists will arrive in the Kingdom, including those who perform Umrah and visit the holy places, so quick solutions are necessary, to accommodate The next numbers after opening the field of performing Umrah throughout the year for those coming from abroad, by creating a logistical area for the movement of crowds of pilgrims and Umrah performers instead of squares:
First: Rehabilitation of roads and back streets to be the basis for movement and transportation.
– Transferring the commercial central area adjacent to the squares to the back roads that are a certain distance from the Haram.
Stopping shopping and commercial activity, markets and restaurants very close to the Haram.
– Preventing the establishment of central and commercial markets for shopping in hotels and their facades near the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
– Allocating all shopping facilities to be for hotel accommodation without carrying out shopping and shopping activities.
– Restricting shopping for very necessary needs such as pharmacies and some liquids to drink in the vicinity of the squares.
– Rehabilitation of road lanes and back and side streets to be an alternative to central markets and restaurants.
Giving more space to public utilities including emergency and civil defense staff.
– Removing the bottlenecks of the margins near the Haram Square as a result of what is caused by trucks loaded with goods that supply the markets with their daily needs.
Giving more space and opportunity to increase hotel and accommodation rooms.
Reducing pressure on public services such as electricity, water and communications.