The Saudi crown prince said project would expand Kingdom’s annual capacity of hosting Umrah pilgrims to 30 million by 2030, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud unveiled Wednesday the development plan of a real estate project east of the Prophet’s Mosque in the city of Medina.
The Rua Al Madinah Project, which came under the Saudi Vision 2030, was being developed by a namesake company that was launched under the Saudi Public Investment Fund and specializes in the development, operation, and real estate investment in Medina, according to Saudi Press Agency.
The project would be 1.5 million square meters in span, with 63 percent of which be open and green spaces, and was set to add over 47,000 hotel rooms.
The crown prince said it would expand Saudi’s annual capacity of hosting Umrah pilgrims to 30 million by 2030.
The project will be implemented to the highest international standards in an indication of the continuous support from the Kingdom’s leadership to Madinah to consolidate its position as a modern Islamic and cultural destination, the crown prince stated.
The project would offer integrated transportation solutions, including nine bus stops for visitors, a subway station, tracks for self-driving vehicles and underground parking.
These are being introduced to facilitate visitor access to the Prophet’s Mosque and will support both residential and commercial activity while helping to create many job opportunities, SPA reported.
According to Saudi’s General Authority for Statistics, about 6.5 million people from home and abroad registered to perform Umrah in 2021.
The project aims to elevate the city’s status as a modern Islamic and cultural destination for pilgrims. It features modern urban planning and large-scale development projects that will contribute to an increased quality of life by enhancing the comfort and enriching the experience of Madinah’s residents and visitors.
The project also seeks to enrich the quality of services provided and boost the hotel inventory of the area on the east side of the Prophet’s Mosque, including in the luxury segment.
Rua Al Madinah Holding Company aims to contribute to achieving the goals of the Hajj, Umrah, and travel sectors outlined in Vision 2030 by enriching the experience of visitors to the city. It also seeks to revive the city’s cultural and architectural heritage, which has been carefully considered throughout the development process.
The project showcases many historical monuments that are of huge significance to the legacy of the Prophet and his companions, while the holy city’s unique heritage is reflected in the design of all buildings and facilities.
The company’s strategy is closely aligned with the PIF’s drive to stimulate growth in the Kingdom’s promising vital sectors, in line with the goals of Vision 2030.
In July, the crown prince had unveiled the design of ‘THE LINE’, a city to promote a green lifestyle confronting environmental crises.
The city is a civilisational revolution that puts humans first, providing an unprecedented urban living experience while preserving the surrounding nature, he told the Saudi Press Agency.
The design embodies how urban communities will be in the future free from roads, cars and emissions.
Residents will have access to all facilities within a five-minute walk, in addition to a high-speed rail with an end-to-end transit of 20 minutes, according to the design.
It will run on 100 per cent renewable energy, puts nature ahead of development and will contribute to preserving 95 per cent of the land, the design showed.
THE LINE will eventually accommodate 9 million residents and will be built on a footprint of 34 square km.