Faisal, Emir of Makkah region, inaugurates the Western Suburb Project on the Makkah-Jeddah highway, Saturday. — SG photo By Fahd Al-Manaee Saudi Gazette MAKKAH – Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah region, inaugurated the implementation phase of the Western Suburb Project on Saturday. Located at Makkah Gate area on the Makkah-Jeddah Highway, the project marks the beginning of the first investment project being implemented on an area of 1.5 million square meters by Bawabat Makkah Company, an offshoot of Al-Balad Al-Ameen Company. After thanking Prince Khaled for laying the foundation stone of the project, Osama Al-Bar, Makkah Mayor and chairman of the company's board of directors, talked about the company´s future plans. “About 83 million square meters of land located at three pivotal areas, Old Makkah-Jeddah Highway, Leith Road and Al-Shumaisi Road, will be developed to absorb over 600,000 persons,” he said. The project seeks to expedite the process of development in the western sector of Makkah. It will be co-implemented by the public and private sectors in line with a well-studied design which will provide comprehensive urban solutions. Residential units, parks, mosques, educational as well as health and entertainment institutions and facilities will be constructed. Moreover, a university, medical centers, a national park, a full entertainment complex and cultural centers such as museums will also be built. “It is a gigantic development project which seeks to improve the infrastructure of the city and develop unplanned districts and suburbs,” said Abdullah Sirajul Deen, CEO of Al-Balad Al-Ameen Company, which is owned by the Makkah Mayoralty. Essam Kalthoum, CEO of Bawabat Makkah Company, said the comprehensive project focuses on urban development and provision of high-quality services. “The residential units will be ready three years from now, which marks the end of the first phase. The final phase of the project will be completed in five years. We´re working now on updating the general design plan to incorporate the main road intersections into the plan and link all roads of other projects together,” he said. __
