An estimated $8bn could be spent on a ‘pilgrim city’ just north of the city of Mina, according to Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister for municipal and rural affairs.
Arab News reported that Habib Zain Al Abidine had said that the city would be able to accommodate 1.5m pilgrims during the hajj, and that the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars had been instructed to look into the plans.
“There are two options. Either we construct concrete buildings or set up tents with modern designs. We’ll construct either multistory buildings or tents to accommodate 1.5 million pilgrims,” said Al Abidine, adding that the project could be completed in five years.
The plans would allow more pilgrims to visit the holy sites during the hajj; around 2.5m pilgrims from around the world perform hajj every year.
Mina is located east of the city of Makkah, and has historically played an important role as a site for temporary tented accommodation for pilgrims.
Separately, Al Abidine told the paper that three separate projects, worth $373m, would be presented for approval. These include the construction of car parks and toilets in the holy sites and the shifting of slaughterhouses outside Mina.
The minister added that the new $1.6bn train system linking Makkah, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifa would transport 150,000 pilgrims this year.
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