The Jeddah Mayoralty is planning to build shops and car parks under Al-Sitteen Bridge as a way to permanently remove Haj and Umrah overstayers living in the area. An official source at the Jeddah Mayoralty said the project, which will be carried out along the bridge, is three kilometers long and 30 to 43 meters wide. It is expected to accommodate 1,000 shops and a parking lot with a capacity for over 1,700 vehicles. The parking lot has been designed to accommodate 774 trucks and 931 small cars. Hundreds of Haj and Umrah overstayers, in addition to many workers fleeing from their sponsors, usually seek shelter under the bridge. This has alarmed the residents of adjacent neighborhoods. The place is considered uncivilized because people can be seen eating, drinking and sleeping in the same place on a busy street. Meanwhile, Dr. Eisa Rawas, Undersecretary for Haj and Umrah Affairs, said the number of Umrah and Haj overstayers has dropped by 345 percent over the past 10 years. He attributed this to a new computer system that registers people as soon as they arrive in the Kingdom for either Haj or Umrah.
