Khaled Al-Humaidi Okaz/Saudi Gazette MAKKAH — Work has resumed on the third phase of the expansion of the Grand Mosque to increase the capacity of the Mataf (circular walkway around the Kaaba), with government officials hoping the work will be completed before this year's Haj. Sultan Al-Qurashi, director of the department of projects at the Presidency of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, said the expansion of the mataf has reached an advanced stage and it will be ready for use during the upcoming Haj, which falls in September. According to Al-Qurashi, the pillars supporting the mataf levels are currently 94 percent complete, while the ceilings are around 85 percent complete. “About 40 percent of the reconstruction of the Ottoman Portico in the mataf area has been completed,” he said. Al-Qurashi said the presidency has worked with the contractors carrying out the expansion to increase the daily productivity in an effort to complete the project on time for the benefit of Haj pilgrims. The temporary fences, along with the makeshift suspended mataf, are scheduled to be removed before this year's Haj. With the completion of the expansion project, the capacity of the mataf will double to 105,000 worshipers circumambulating the Kaaba in an hour. Work on the project had stopped earlier in June for 45 days for Ramadan.
