MAKKAH — The dismantling of the temporary mataf, which was built about three years ago to facilitate circumambulation around the Holy Kaba, has been completed by about 30 percent in its first of eight stages, according to the chairman of the technical committee of the project Faisal Wafa. The official expected the whole project to be completed by May 25 and said about 80 Saudi engineers are working 24/7 to complete the dismantling of the makeshift bridge on time. Wafa said with the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, pilgrims will be able to use the ground floor as well as the first floor, the mezzanine and the ceiling to perform circumambulation of the Kaba. "This will ensure the pilgrims with enough mataf area that can accommodate more than 107,000 people in an hour instead of the present 20,000," the official asserted. Wafa said entrance to the ground, first and mezzanine floors of the mataf will be from the direction of King Fahd Expansion Project. He explained that the ground and the mezzanine floors are connected to the Saie (hastening between the hillocks of Safa and Marwa) area and said pilgrims on wheelchairs will arrive at the mataf bridge from Al-Umrah Gate. The chairman said an operations room has been established to immediately resolve any problem facing the workers in the project. "Our top priority is the safety and security of the pilgrims. We are doing the dismantling of the bridge very carefully and removing the debris to warehouses which are far away from the Grand Mosque," he said.
