{"id":2106,"date":"2014-06-27T11:05:01","date_gmt":"2014-06-27T11:05:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/english.thesunrisetoday.com\/?p=2106"},"modified":"2014-06-27T11:05:01","modified_gmt":"2014-06-27T11:05:01","slug":"grand-mosque-ready-for-ramadan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english.thesunrisetoday.com\/index.php\/grand-mosque-ready-for-ramadan\/","title":{"rendered":"Grand Mosque ready for Ramadan"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Sudais\"<\/a>The second phase of the massive ongoing expansion project inside Makkah\u2019s Grand Mosque is almost complete, with the first floor area for circumambulation around the House of God, known as the \u201cmataf,\u201d expected to be open for pilgrims during the month of Ramadan.
\nThe worksite was inspected by Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency of the Grand Mosque and Prophet\u2019s Mosque Affairs, on Thursday.
\n\u201cThe first floor and ground floors are 100 percent ready for prayer and are fully equipped with elevators and automated stairs, while the second floor is about 80 percent ready,\u201d Al-Sudais said.
\nThe second phase involves the eastern side of the mataf and extends from Al-Fatah gate to the Umrah gate, where expansion work being carried out around the clock under the direct supervision of high-ranking officials from the Saudi Binladin Group, the project contractor.
\nThe second phase, meanwhile, is slated to span 25,000 square meters, almost double the area of the first phase.
\nThe area can accommodate up to 75,000 worshippers per hour, said a senior official.
\nIn addition, the old passageway was dismantled and reconstructed to facilitate the movement of pilgrims inside the mataf.
\nContractors will stop work for nearly four months given the huge influx of pilgrims between the Ramadan and Haj seasons.
\nThe capacity of the mataf area is expected to increase from 50,000 pilgrims per hour to 130,000 pilgrims when the expansion is fully completed.
\nCosting over SR100 billion, the King Abdullah Expansion Project is designed to increase the mosque\u2019s capacity to more than two million worshippers.<\/p>\n

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