The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has launched five giant projects that are to be implemented as part of the third expansion of the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

The expansion projects include the King Abdullah Expansion Structure, courtyards, tunnels, buildings for service facilities and the first ring road, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

King Salman was briefed on the model of the entire expansion project, which is tipped to be ‘the Project of the Century’.

The late King Abdullah laid the foundation stone for the expansion of the Grand Mosque at a ceremony in Makkah on August 19, 2011.

The King Abdullah Expansion Project is estimated to cost over SR100 billion ($26.6 billion).

The total area of the existing mosque is 356,000 sq m, accommodating 770,000 worshippers while the new expansion covering 456,000 sq m will accommodate an additional 1.2 million faithfuls.

Courtyards of the mosque’s new expansion can hold more than 250,000 worshippers.

The expansion project consisted of three parts: construction of new buildings; expansion and development of courtyards around the mosque, including walkways, tunnels and toilets; and development of service facilities for air-conditioning, electricity and drinking water.

The Ministry of Finance is supervising the expansion project, which is being implemented by the Saudi Binladin Group. - TradeArabia News Service