Saudi Arabia has been relentlessly working to make the pilgrimage comfortable.

The design of pedestrian bridges linked to the mataf, the circumambulation area around the Kaaba, is currently under review by the supervisory committee in charge of the expansion project.

The bridges will help officials control the movement of pilgrims inside, while also controlling people coming in from the outer areas, according to a press report on Thursday.

The committee held its 21st meeting on Wednesday at King Faisal Hall at Al-Jamaa city in Alabdiyah, with representatives from the Ministry of Interior, the Supreme Haj Committee, the Ministry of Finance and the General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques.

The meeting discussed various parts of the project including the design, finishing touches and electromechanical works. Several recommendations were made to improve services for worshippers and visitors.

Meanwhile, the General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques has secured all the material needed to finish the corridors of the Grand Mosque, and the remaining stages of the mataf expansion.

Sultan Al-Qurashi, general director of projects at the presidency, said that work has resumed to increase the capacity of the mataf, with barricades set up to separate the sites allocated for prayers.

“The labor force implementing the project is a total of 14,000 workers, with all the necessary raw materials having now been imported to begin the finishing touches on all the phases.”

Also present were representatives from the Saudi Binladin Group under the chairmanship of the rector of Umm Al-Qura University and chairman of the supervisory Committee, Bakri bin Matouk Assas. Other attendees included the assistant director of public security for the security of Haj and Umrah, Brig. Saud bin Abdullah Al-Khelaiwi, and other prominent figures.

In his opening speech, Assas thanked the government under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif, deputy premier and interior minister, and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, second deputy premier and defense minister, for their efforts to improve services for pilgrims.

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