A crowded mataf is seen in the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

Pilgrims and visitors performing tawaf (circumambulation) of the Holy Kaaba or praying around it may look forward to relief from the blazing sun, as a proposal to shade the Mataf area is being studied.

According to local media, the matter came up for discussion when Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques, met representatives of the Ministry of Finance, in the presence of the Grand Mosque projects committee, in his office.

Flower-like shade umbrellas at the Prophet’s Mosque are a big attraction besides their usefulness for pilgrims and visitors in the form of protection from direct sunlight, especially in summer.

The projects that were discussed at the meeting included the library of the Holy Mosque, separate gateway for elevators, electromechanical systems for the Masaa expansion and re-waterproofing of the surface of the King Fahd expansion and surface of the Masaa, which was damaged during the expansion work of the Mataf.

Also discussed during the meeting were issues like documents of Autocad, photos, videos of before, during and after the work, before starting the third expansion.

Electricity supply in the mezzanine of the Masaa, preparation of the headquarters of the project of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for simultaneous translation of speeches and sermons, and security cameras at the entrances, were also discussed.

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