Hajj And Umrah Minister Reviews Development Projects In Holy Sites Ahead Of 1447 AH

Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah carried out a field visit to the Holy Sites, inspecting major development projects that are underway to support services before the 1447 AH Hajj season, and reviewing how prepared the operational system is to meet pilgrims’ needs across health, urban, and environmental facilities.

The tour covered several initiatives managed by Kidana Development Company, which works as the executive arm of the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah examined projects that aim to strengthen medical capacity, improve public spaces, and reduce heat impacts, while also assessing how these efforts fit with long-term planning for the Holy Sites.

A key stop on the tour was the Emergency Hospital Project – Phase Two, which is planned to host up to 400 beds. The project is designed to increase the ability of health teams in the Holy Sites to deal with cases during the Hajj season, by strengthening readiness, expanding medical response options, and supporting services for critical and non-critical situations.

The minister also reviewed initiatives to lessen heat stress around important gathering points. In the area surrounding Jabal Al-Rahmah in Arafat, Tawfiq Al-Rabiah was briefed on engineering and environmental measures intended to limit the impact of high temperatures on pilgrims and visitors, aiming to make worship and movement safer in this open site.

During the same tour, Tawfiq Al-Rabiah inspected the project to humanise the Holy Sites, which aims to reshape the urban environment so it becomes more spacious, flexible, and comfortable. The project targets better public spaces that respond to pilgrims’ needs, removes visual distortions, and introduces smart solutions to build an integrated, sustainable, and human-centred setting around key ritual locations.

The pilgrims’ rest areas project formed another major element of the inspection. This project focuses on pedestrian routes and seeks to offer equipped rest stops that support easier movement. The second phase includes setting up defined seating zones, shaded areas with modern structures, cooling fans, and commercial units, along with full upgrades to paths and supporting services.

Service infrastructure for Hajj Holy Sites

The minister also inspected the heat stress mitigation project in the plaza next to Namirah Mosque. This project combines engineering designs and environmental treatments to create cooler outdoor spaces, helping reduce direct exposure to sunlight and heat for pilgrims who gather in this area during the peak of Hajj rituals.

Work on rest areas is progressing in stages across the pedestrian routes. The second phase now under implementation covers 36,000 square metres, building on a first phase of 30,000 square metres delivered during the 1446 AH Hajj season. These stages aim to provide continuous shaded corridors, seating, and services along busy walking paths.

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Alongside physical infrastructure, Tawfiq Al-Rabiah visited several locations that offer interactive and cultural experiences for visitors. These sites provide knowledge-based and cultural content linked to the Holy Sites, helping describe their historical and human dimensions, and enriching the overall experience of pilgrims and visitors while complementing the practical upgrades under development, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

With inputs from SPA