Five international companies are in the race to win the coveted train project for the holy sites. Prince Mit'eb Bin Abdul Aziz, Minister of Rural and Municipal Affairs, who is also Chairman of the Commission for Development of Makkah, Madina and other holy sites, will preside over the committee meeting on Shawwal 4 (Oct. 4) for opening bids tendered by international companies, said Dr. Habeeb Zain Al-Abdeen, the Commission's designated Secretary General. He said the bids are being studied and the best one will get the project. The execution of the project will begin soon after Haj, he was quoted by Al-Madina Arabic daily as saying. Designed with the holiness of the place in mind, the 570-km railway from Makkah to Madina will be parallel in most parts with the Road of Hijra which Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) took when he moved from Makkah to Madina in 622 CE. Owners of the properties needed for the projects will be generously compensated. Meanwhile, King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has approved the SR1.2 billion project of flood drainage that will cover Arafat, the roads linking the holy sites to Makkah, and part of Muzdalifah, Dr. Al-Abdeen pointed out. Local companies' bids for the project will start after Haj, and construction will begin as soon as the project is awarded, he said. Dr. Al-Abdeen said the Higher Committee for Haj has approved the renting of residential towers built on Mina mountains to pilgrims this year. He added the renting will be handled by the Organization for General Insurance and the Public Pension Agency in coordination with the Haj Ministry. The six towers have the capacity to accommodate about 20,000 pilgrims. __
