Residents of Kuday District here are angry because Umrah pilgrims and visitors to the Grand Mosque park cars at the gateway to the district, which makes it difficult for residents to enter or leave. An official said more than 4,000 cars have been removed from the Central Area, near the Grand Mosque, since the beginning of Ramadan, but residents of Kuday District say the problem persists, despite the traffic department's allocation of a parking lot near the district's gateway. Khalid Al-Nadwi, a resident, said a crowd of cars obstruct entry and exit, particularly at the peak time – half an hour before Iftar – when the passage becomes so narrow that cars can only pass in one direction. Ziyad Al-Sibyani, another resident, said the problem happens every year during the holy month because cars are parked for long periods of time, in violation of regulations, even though there are free parking lots available for Umrah pilgrims. Many do not abide by the Makkah Traffic Department instructions, which causes the problems, he added. Talal Ghabish, a third resident of Kuday District, said the problems sometimes lead to a fistfight at the only entrance to the area. He said authorities should tow away such cars. Col. Mish'al Maghribi, Director of Makkah Traffic Department, confirmed that Kuday District's entrances and exits should not be clogged by parked vehicles. “We are concerned that the areas should be free of any vehicles after Asr prayer until Taraweeh prayer,” he said. “During the past two days, 4,100 cars were impounded to prevent any crowding they may cause in the Central Area,” he said. __
