An artist’s impression Darb Al-Sunnah project covering the area between the Prophet’s Mosque and the Quba Mosque in Madinah. Officials say the ambitious project will change the face of the holy city.

The Finance Ministry has instructed executive authorities to stop evacuating properties and acquiring land for the Darb Al-Sunnah project in Madinah until further notice.

The ministry has also postponed the payment of compensation to owners of properties to be acquired for the project, a high-level source at the First Notary’s office in Madinah said.

The prestigious project, which will see the area between the Prophet’s Mosque and the Quba Mosque covered, is expected to change the face of Madinah.

“The ministry’s officials in charge of paying compensations have informed the notary’s office to stop evacuating properties and acquiring land for the project,” a source said.

Meanwhile, a reliable source at the ministry said the payment of compensation had stopped because most government payments are normally put on hold toward the end of the financial year. “This year the payment will stop on Nov. 16,” the source said.

Darb Al-Sunnah is part of the massive Prophet’s Mosque expansion project, which is being supervised by the Finance Ministry and includes the development of areas around the second most important mosque for Muslims.

Authorities had begun acquiring land and evacuating properties in the area ready to start the project, while the acquisition committee said 226 identified properties would not be demolished as they stand outside the project’s boundaries.

Earlier the committee decided to acquire 1,043 pieces of land for the project. “The final designs have made some changes and this resulted in excluding 226 properties,” said a ministry source, adding that only 817 properties would be acquired for the project.

The Darb Al-Sunnah (Trail of Tradition) project aims at reviving the Prophet’s tradition of walking between the Prophet’s Mosque and the Quba Mosque.

Officials say the project will contribute to the city’s cultural and economic progress.

The project has been submitted to the Madinah Development Authority after receiving approval from the relevant government departments.

Properties that will be acquired under the project are located in the residential districts of Duwaima, Jumua, Al-Bahr, Qurban and Al-Awali. The largest number of properties will be acquired from Al-Bahr District.

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