(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday launched a development next to Mecca's Grand Mosque that will add around 900,000 indoor and outdoor praying spaces, the firm tasked with delivering the project said.

The 12-million-square-metre (4.6-square-mile) mixed-use project, called 'King Salman Gate', will improve access to the Grand Mosque, the RUA AlHaram AlMakki Company said, without providing details on how much it would cost or when it would be completed.

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The announcement was initially made by the Kingdom's Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

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A transformative multi-use development in the holy city of Makkah, the project marks a major milestone in the development of Makkah and its central area, establishing it as a global benchmark in modern city planning.

King Salman Gate's urban development and infrastructure transformation will contribute to enhancing access to the Grand Mosque and elevating service quality, the Saudi Press Agency stated, adding it will be connected to public transportation networks.

The integrated mixed-use destination will prioritise elevating the levels of currently provided services, while offering residential, hospitality, commercial and cultural experiences.

The project will also restore and develop approximately 19,000 square metres of heritage sites, preserving Makkah's cultural and historical legacy. The project will contribute to Saudi Vision 2030's goals of economic transformation through generating more than 300,000 jobs by 2036.

With inputs from Reuters

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