THE EXPANSION PROJECT AT THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES, IMPLEMENTED BY THE SAUDI GOVERNMENT, IS ONE OF THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS. THE EXPANSION PROJECT, WHICH WAS IMPLEMENTED AT THE COST OF MORE THAN SR 70 BILLION, AIMED AT ENABLING THE PILGRIMS, UMRAH (MINOR HAJJ) PERFORMERS AND VISITORS OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES TO PERFORM THEIR RITUALS IN COMFORT AND EASE. THE EXPANSION PROJECT WAS IMPLEMENTED ON AN AREA OF 76,000 SQUARE METER AT THE HOLY MOSQUE OF MAKKAH, AND ON AN AREA OF 82,000 SQUARE METER AT THE PROPHET'S MOSQUE IN MADINAH. FOLLOWING THE EXPANSION PROJECT AT THE HOLY MOSQUE OF MAKKAH, THE TOTAL AREA OF THE HARAM WILL JUMP TO 356,000 SQUARE METER INCLUDING THE AREAS SURROUNDING THE HOLY MOSQUE. THIS EXPANSION HAS RAISED THE CAPACITY OF THE HOLY MOSQUE FROM 340,000 WORSHIPPERS TO 770,000. THE NUMBER OF WORSHIPPERS IS DOUBLED IN TIMES OF RELIGIOUS EVENTS LIKE HAJJ AND THE BLESSED MONTH OF RAMADAN. AT THE PROPHET'S MOSQUE IN MADINAH, THE AREA OF THE MOSQUE HAS JUMPED TO 98,500 SQUARE METER. FOLLOWING THE EXPANSION PROJECT, THE CAPACITY OF THE PROPHET'S MOSQUE HAS JUMPED TO MORE THAN 730,000 WORSHIPPERS, AND SOME TIMES THE NUMBER JUMPS TO MORE THAN ONE MILLION.
