Makkah region’s growth fast-tracked

Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal and nine ministers outlined a new road map at a meeting Thursday to speed up essential projects across the city, Jeddah and Taif, including the holy sites, underdeveloped districts, transport systems, and flood prevention measures. “The meeting adopted important resolutions to accelerate Makkah region’s comprehensive development,” said an official statement. Prince Khaled chaired five ministerial meetings that focused on these projects. “The first meeting discussed a proposal to develop Makkah and the holy sites, the national park project in Makkah, and other development projects for the holy city,” the statement said. The second meeting reviewed ongoing efforts to develop the underdeveloped districts in the region in the presence of seven ministers including Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf and Justice Minister Walid Al-Samaani. “The meeting decided to complete the project within five years and set up three subsidiary panels to follow up efforts to develop underdeveloped districts in Makkah, Jeddah and Taif,” the statement said. A high-powered panel under Prince Khaled’s leadership has been formed to work out a mechanism to prevent the emergence of underdeveloped areas, set out a model plan for their development and open new roads and service centers in newly developed districts. “Another ministerial panel chaired by the governor focused on the new public transport system in Jeddah, its various components and the timeframe to complete the project,” the statement said. The Jeddah public transport system includes a four-line metro, Corniche trams, boat transport linking Sharm Obhur with Northern Corniche, rapid bus transit system, district buses, the suspension bridge at the Corniche and an edutainment center. The Taif development projects discussed by participants at the meeting includes the development of Hada, markets, gardens and various recreational projects over an area of 390 sq. km, in addition to comprehensive development of the summer resort, and the establishment of an economic tourism city at Souk Okaz. Several projects have been carried out to prevent flooding in Jeddah, including the construction of five new dams and a floodwater canal. -arabnews