Costing 80 billion Riyals to take in 30 million pilgrims per year

Grand Mosque in Mecca was and still is the biggest concern of the rulers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They have worked hard and spent a lot of money to build and improve it but it’s nothing for the home of Allah, every Muslim’s destination. This mosque underwent vertical expansions and technical improvements during the Saudi era, serving the Muslim pilgrims coming from all over the world... The expansion of Grand Mosque is considered to be the most important project that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has made in the purpose of serving Islam and Muslims. This project is a priority and is considered to be the largest, both size and money wise, in order to multiply the Masjid’s containing capacity to keep up with the increasing number of pilgrims and visitors yearly. In this context, Saudi minister of Hajj, Dr. Bandar Al Hajjar said that the total cost of the project of expanding Grand Mosque along with its north and northwest squares, exceeded 80 billion Riyal, including the real estate allocated for the project as well as expanding the airports and creating roads and railways. He added that the expansion comes as an extension for previous expansions of the two sanctuaries Madina and Mecca. He also mentioned that an expansion has already been made to the Jamarat facility turning it into 5 floors in order to take in more pilgrims. Officials in the Umrah sector in the