A new bus station at the eastern yard of the Prophet's Mosque was opened on Thursday and is expected to reduce the time taken to travel to the mosque. Sheikh Abdul Wahid Al-Hatab, Director of Public Relations at the General Presidency of the Affairs of the Prophet's Mosque, said the traffic police in Madina have started organizing the arrival of the buses at Gate 13, east of the Prophet's Mosque. Visitors arriving at the bus station will then use escalators to ascend to the yard. Al-Hatab said the parking lots allotted for limousines and cars came into operation on Thursday. This was a day after Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Majed Bin Abdul Aziz, Emir of Madina, conducted an inspection of the SR4.7 billion expansion project being carried out at the Prophet's Mosque. Al-Hatab said visitors, including men and women, have benefited considerably from the new service facilities which have been constructed at the lower part of the eastern yard, on an area covering 30,500 sq. meters, and which includes 912 toilets, 1,823 ablution units, 12 lifts and 44 escalators.
