Arab News: Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Fasial inaugurated the Darb Al-Khalil real estate project expo yesterday afternoon, which is being held at the Jeddah Hilton.
Darb Al-Khalil, an area in Makkah, is the southern main passageway to the Grand Mosque. The project area is locked between Ibrahim Al-Khalil Road to the west, Al-Hijra Road to the east, the first ring road from the north and the second ring road from the south.
The Darb Al-Khalil real estate project is taking place on a 57,725 square meter area of land. Once developed an area totaling 65,270 square meters will have been created.
Behind the project is a group of landowners in Darb Al-Khalil, who have established the Al-Hijra Company for Real Estate Development.
Abdullah Bugshan, chairman of the Al-Hijra Company, said, “The project is ideal for developing the core central area as it provides a solution to traffic and pedestrian congestion at peak times.”
He added that one of the major solutions to ease traffic is by developing the traffic network surrounding the area and linking it to neighboring main roads, bridges and tunnels. This would detour cars and buses to the southern ring road without the need to join Ibrahim Al-Khalil Road, said Bugshan.
“We do not expect any opposition by landowners in the project area. We have set a plan to overcome any obstacles,” said Fuad Al-Ghazali, technical adviser of the Al-Hijra Company.
He added that construction work would start once an approval is secured from the Makkah Development Authority. The project would also create a commercial area of 100,000 square meters, a police station, a fire station and a children’s nursery. The project will also provide 2,250 car parking spaces.
The Makkah Development Authority has approved a master plan for the development of the city’s central region. The plan aims at accommodating three million residents and eight million pilgrims.
According to Habib Zain Al-Abidine, undersecretary at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, some 25 new real estate projects are being carried out in the center of Makkah at a total cost exceeding SR100 billion.
In 2005 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah launched six major projects, including the SR12 billion Jabal Omar Residential Towers.
Spread over 230,000 square meters, the Jabal Omar project includes five-star hotels, commercial centers and prayer facilities.
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