Schindler will deliver elevators and escalators to Mecca’s King Abdul Aziz Road, one of the largest urban development projects in the Gulf.
Schindler has been selected to deliver and install 160 elevators and escalators to help move people between some of the busiest landmarks of the Holy City of Mecca, including the Al Haram Mosque, the largest in the world.
The King Abdul Aziz Road (KAAR) project in the Holy City of Mecca, commonly referred to as the Mecca gateway project, will use different modes of transportation such as bus, metro and high-speed trains around a central pedestrian boulevard that will accommodate more than a 100,000 people. The project, set to be completed by the end of 2021, is one of the largest urban developments in the Gulf.
Schindler and NESMA, its partner company in Saudi Arabia, will improve the way citizens and visitors move through this major international gateway to the Great Mosque. At over 3.5 km long and up to 60 m wide, the boulevard will serve as the new entrance to the Holy City of Mecca, supplying safe passage for visitors between the Great Mosque and a high-speed rail terminal in the city’s West, linking Jeddah and the King Abdul Aziz International Airport.
"The project aims to improve the quality of life for the people of Mecca and its honorable visitors," said Yasser Abuateeq, MD & CEO of Umm Al Qura for Development and Construction (UAQ), the owner and master developer of KAAR. "Achieving this goal required the development of an integrated plan to leverage the level of urban development so that the project becomes an ideal model. The plan considers the size of the project, which is considered one of the most important developmental projects in the region, in a manner that realizes the aspirations of the Saudi leadership and Vision 2030 to establish Mecca city as a global cultural landmark."
"The project establishes a new mode of transportation as part of the urban development for the Holy City of Mecca through facilitating the road networks, a BRT system, and a metro station along the metro line," according to Engineer Abdulmuhsin Albakr, VP Technical Affairs & Projects Development (UAQ). "It will also integrate well-structured accommodation in the form of hotels and serviced apartments alongside its supporting facilities and services such as a 60 m wide pedestrian boulevard for commercial and retail use."
"We are thrilled to work on the KAAR project," said Elsayed Abdulrahman, Sales and Marketing Director at Schindler Olayan, based in Jeddah. "As one of the biggest Public Transportation projects in Saudi Arabia and more so in the city of Holy Mecca, this project further enhances Schindler’s presence in the Country and reiterates our commitment to delivering top-notch mobility solutions. It is also a great opportunity to start our business partnership with Umm Al Qura, one of the main developers in Mecca, as well as, strengthening our business partnership with NESMA."