Saturday, October 25, 2008

The Masjidil Haram Expansion - Jabal Omar Project


Picture taken on my last day in Mekah. It was the second day of Eid and everyone seems to be rushing to Jeddah, and probably home. No policeman can be seen around, so it was very chaotic.

Cranes are everywhere and the work of breaking the rocks and carting it away are progressing very slowly. I doubt the project can be completed on time as they have not even started work on the foundations (but miracles do happen in Mekah)! That's why dust is everywhere when wind is blowing. For our jemaah Haji, it make sense to bring a good quality mask.

A Malaysian company (PSDC & KLCC) is the Project Manager for the development of Jabal Omar. In fact, the joint venture company offered places for JKR Engineers to work with them in this project, with good remuneration (double in US Dolars) and benefits, with a 5 year contract. Nobody accept the offer as there was a nasty catch in their contract clause i.e no family members allowed in Mekah. Many become disinterested because of this clause. Most probably they want the engineers to concentrate fully on the project without any personal problems. Well there are many experienced and capable engineers in JKR but most are not bachelors or a duda yet!



This is an artist impression of the new Hilton. Sadly the old Hilton will be demolished soon to make way for more wide open space. My son had many a good times at the Burger King restaurant there! For those who want to takeaway a good Arab food especially lamb mandi, try the Herraz Restaurant on the second floor.The Ben Dawood supermarket on the ground floor is always crowded, so don't go in before or after solat time.








The construction of Makkah’s Jabal Omar project will be completed within 30 months, and the plan includes a number of residential towers and 40 hotels.

The SR12 billion project is located in a mountainous area close to the Grand Mosque. The towers will accommodate 34,500 pilgrims and the project is being developed in areas around the Grand Mosque.

It will create a model residential and commercial center with new roads, pathways, tunnels, electric stairs, and other facilities.

The project will create prayer areas for 78,000 worshipers and will be linked to the Grand Mosque’s sound system.These prayer areas would be considered an indirect expansion of the mosque.

The project has taken into consideration the environment and the topography of the area.

The groundbreaking for the second largest project after the Haram expansion was started two years ago.

Jabal Omar company is also studying tenders from various top class hotel companies such as Sheraton and Move & Pick to manage some of the residential and hotel towers being built as part of the project.

More than 200 hotels have been demolished in order to implement the Jabal Omar project.

The project would also build a mosque to accommodate 10,000 worshippers and also a conference hall overlooking the Grand Mosque with a seating capacity for 2,000 people.
.......................................................................................................................................................
Projek ini, termasuk perluasan dari utara halaman masjid hingga pembangunan perumahan menara, bertujuan untuk menyediakan lebih banyak perumahan dan kemudahan untuk penziarah. Projek ini juga termasuk SR12 bilion menara Jabal Omar, salah satu usaha yang terbesar yang bertujuan untuk pengembangan daerah sekitar Tanah Suci Haram. Dengan keluasan 230,000 meter persegi, ia juga termasuk projek hotel bintang lima, pusat komersial dan kemudahan untuk 200,000 penziarah.

Projek-projek lain ialah pembesaran Hospital Ajyad, yang terletak berhampiran masjid, dan pembangunan jalan lain untuk ke Tanah Suci Haram sejajar dengan jalan yang ada dari Jeddah-Makkah. Jalan baru 5km, dirancang juga untuk manafaat penziarah.Makkah Development Authority juga mengendalikan pembangunan Shamiya, Jabal Khandama dan Jabal Al-Kaaba daerah di sekitar Haram.

Projek ini juga bertujuan untuk mengembangkan daerah di wilayah pusat kota suci dan merobohkan bangunan tua dan usang yang tidak selamat lagi.. Mereka juga akan menyediakan sistem pengangkutan yang selesa bagi mengurangi kesibukan lalu lintas di kota tersebut.

Jumlah keseluruhan keluasan untuk dibangunkan di dianggarkan 587,250 meter persegi, dengan 90 % bangunan yang lama. Perluasan dari utara halaman mesjid itu sendiri akan mencakupi luas 1.2 juta meter persegi antara kedua masjid dan jalan lingkar ke utara, Jalan Masjid Al-Haram ke timur dan Jalan Jabal Al-Kaaba ke barat.

Projek Jabal Omar akan menyediakan lebih dari 25,000 pekerjaan. Jabal Omar menawarkan kemudahan perumahan bagi 100,000 orang, tempat wuduk berhawa dingin untuk 100,000 dan ruang terbuka sembahyang untuk 120,000.

Syarikat Jabal Omar akan memiliki modal SR3.5 bilion termasuk SR1.1 bilion sebagai sebahagian dari pemilik real estate di daerah itu. Sebahagian dari saham bernilai SR850 juta akan ditawarkan sebagai langganan awam.

Jalan baru akan dibina dengan 1,000 meter terowong dan akan melalui daerah Mawarika, Tandbawe, Jabal Ghurab, Rusaifa dan Zahareen.

Adalah dijangkakan 50 tahun untuk rancangan pembangunan untuk Makkah disiapkan oleh Makkah Development Authority .

No comments: