King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, will within the next few days lay the foundation stone of the King Abdullah expansion project in the Holy Haram in Makkah and will inaugurate a number of development projects in the Two Holy Mosques and holy sites, Al-Riyadh Arabic daily reported Thursday. These projects are part of the due attention and care the nation's leaders have given to the development of the holy sites from the time of King Abdul Aziz, the founder of the modern Kingdom, until the present day. Among the projects being carried in the Holy Haram and holy sites are the expansion of the Holy Haram, especially of the northern yards surrounding the Holy Mosque, Mass'a and Mataf, as well as projects involving King Abdul Aziz Ring Road, King Abdul Aziz Endowment, Al-Haramain Train, development of the central area, flood canals in the holy sites, Al-Jamrat and Ring Roads. Work is also progressing at the Prophet's Mosque in Madina where 180,000 square meters have been added to the courtyards surrounding the mosque. This expansion will accommodate more than 350,000 worshippers and help meet the steady increase in the number of those visiting the Prophet's Mosque. The major objective of these government projects is to ensure greater comfort for the Guests of Allah which will enable them to perform their rituals in ease and tranquility. The mega projects which have been carried out during the reign of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, include the development of the Jissr Al-Jamrat in Mina which enables five million pilgrims to perform the ritual of the symbolic stoning of the Satan; Al-Haramain Train which links Mina to Muzdalifa at a total cost of SR 6.7 billion and is scheduled to work at full capacity during this year's Haj; the King Abdul Aziz Endowment, which consists of six residential towers housing 35,000 people and a seventh tower which is a five-star hotel; and a sophisticated network of flood canals covering the entire area of the holy sites.
