The fifth and final phase of the SR 4.2 billion Jamarat Bridge project has been completed. This phase includes the fifth storey of the bridge which is now fully ready for utilization by pilgrims during this year's Haj. The entire multi-level project will be air-conditioned and the roof of the fifth floor will be covered with special tents during the next Haj season, said Dr.Habeeb Zainalabedeen, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Municipalities and Rural Affairs. The completion of the Jamarat project allows for the throwing of pebbles from the five levels of the bridge. The ground (first) floor and second floor are allocated for pilgrims coming from the east of Mina; the third floor is reserved for those coming from Makkah, Al-Adl and Al-Sheshah; and the fourth floor is for pilgrims coming from the north and also from Al-Muaisem, the eastern and western “Shebs”. The fifth and top floor is for those coming from Al Azizeyah and camps located south of Mina, he added. The bridge is 950 meters long and 80 meters wide. It consists of five floors each of which is 12 meters high. The entire project is designed to hold 12 stories and as many as five million pilgrims in the future if the need arises. The project also includes three tunnels and covers other construction work with the possibility of future development. The project provides 12 entrances and 12 exits in all four directions. It has a helipad for facilitating the landing of helicopters in an emergency. The Jamarat project also includes an air-conditioning system backed by water sprinklers that can reduce the temperature to about 29 degrees Centigrade A number of side projects have also been completed including the re-organization of the Jamarat Bridge facilitating access in six directions, three on the south and three on the north. The project will help to organize and allocate appropriate places for services, such as food stores, barbers shops, and toilets, and areas for medical and emergency services, civil defense forces and public security. Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) advanced monitoring technology facilities have been installed in several locations and connected to the main operations room, which oversees the Jamarat Bridge and the surrounding areas to monitor the situation in general and take appropriate action in case of emergencies. The Jamarat Bridge also includes subways for underground vehicular traffic to provide more space for pedestrians in the bridge areas in addition to six exits for emergency evacuation through six emergency towers leading to the ground floor and tunnels as well as to the helipads. The oval design of the pebbles basins and the three 40-meter-high pillars have improved the flow of pilgrims and increased the capacity of the bridge, which has helped to reduce congestion while pilgrims are performing the stoning ritual. Fifty percent of the sacred area of Arafat has been paved and tiled including entrances and exits. Signaling poles will also be installed at the end of this year's Haj season and are expected to be ready for use next year. The planting of trees as part of the Arafat project has been expanded to include nearly one million square meters. A number of projects costing billions of riyals for securing the holy sites from the dangers of flash floods has also been completed. Last year, several development projects were completed including the fire-resistance tents project with safety, comfort and security measures; a water and drainage network project as well as water reservoirs with a capacity of more than two million cubic meters.
