Khalid Al-Hemaidi Okaz/Saudi Gazette MAKKAH — The project for the expansion of the holy mosque in Makkah includes the expansion of the Mataf area and increasing the number of floors to six. The project also includes the installation of the central air-conditioning of the King Abdulaziz Endowment Project, and the construction of 63 hotel towers. Dr. Muhammad Al-Khozaim, deputy head of the Presidency for the Two Holy Mosques, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that there is a study underway to connect all courtyards of the mosque with Mataf area via escalators to facilitate smooth flow of pilgrims. The expansion project consists of three main areas. The first is the expansion of Al-Haram itself to accommodate 2 million worshippers. The second is the development of exterior areas consisting of rest rooms, tunnels, and other services to ensure the smooth movement of worshippers. The third is the support services area of air-conditioning, electricity station, water stations, and other services. The Ottoman expansion of Mataf will be removed, and the Mataf will be expanded on three sides. Al-Haram will initially consist of four floors, similar to Mataf, and will have two more floors added in the future.
