Masar To Redefine Makkah Urban Landscape

From Amirul Mohd Sajadi

MAKKAH, May 15 (Bernama) -- Masar Destination (Masar), a mega smart city corridor development, is expected to redefine Makkah’s landscape by 2030 as the city prepares to welcome a growing number of haj and umrah pilgrims.

Located just 550 metres from the Grand Mosque, the SAR100 billion (RM104 billion) Masar project is among the most strategic developments planned in the vicinity of the holy city.

Masar Destination project officer Abdulaziz Alqurashi said the development goes beyond physical infrastructure, reflecting a forward-looking vision to make Makkah more modern, efficient and comfortable for millions of pilgrims.

“The 3.65-kilometre project forms part of the Saudi Vision 2030 agenda, which focuses on improving mobility, reducing congestion and increasing the capacity of the holy city.

“Masar is being developed as a modern, world-class urban destination while preserving the spiritual identity of Makkah,” he said during a briefing for 200 international media practitioners organised by the General Authority for Media Regulation and the Royal Commission for the City of Makkah and the Holy Sites here recently.

The session also provided international media practitioners to see first-hand the future plans for the project, which is expected to be fully completed within four years.

Spanning 1.2 million square metres, Masar will feature 205 development lots with a combined built-up area of 6.7 million square metres.

Abdulaziz said that one of the key components forming the backbone of the project is a 40 to 60-metre-wide pedestrian walkway directly linking the development area to the Grand Mosque, helping to facilitate smoother movement of pilgrims, particularly during peak haj and umrah seasons.

He said Masar will also be directly connected to the Haramain High Speed Railway and the planned Makkah metro system, and will be equipped with 11 electric bus stops, more than 5,700 underground parking spaces and a smart utility system.

According to Abdulaziz, Masar is designed to accommodate approximately 158,000 people at any one time, with more than 60 per cent of its capacity dedicated to haj and umrah pilgrims.

He said the project’s main objective is to ensure the smooth, safe and organised movement of the Guests of Allah from Makkah’s entry points to the city centre near the Haram.

Meanwhile, a Bernama check found construction activity underway, indicating that Makkah is steadily moving towards becoming a more modern holy city by 2030.

--BERNAMA