By Ahmad Abdullah
Saudi Gazette


JEDDAH — Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah region, said the King Abdullah Construction Project for Makkah and the holy sites aims to turn Makkah into the Kingdom’s first smart city.

Addressing the Smart Cities Seminar here Monday evening, Prince Khaled said there was nothing to prevent Makkah from being transformed into a smart city. “We have new design plans for Makkah, Jeddah and Taif. It’s our opportunity to take the initiative now. All we need is good management and a strong will to start the project,” he said.

This is the best time to implement the smart city project and the opportunity should be grabbed with both hands, the Emir said, emphasizing that the project also aims to provide smart services to pilgrims.

Modern mechanisms, he hoped, will be employed to facilitate the movement of pilgrims from the point of their departure at home until their arrival at the holy sites.

Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Khudairi, Undersecretary of Makkah Emirate, said the seminar, which was organized at the behest of Prince Khaled and to which different sectors of society were invited, sought to come up with the best ideas and visions for the future work plan.

Three presentations were made about smart cities and how they are built and the challenges associated with adapting to modern technology. Smart cities can solve many chronic problems, such as traffic jams, pollution and energy-related problems. They also allow individuals easy access to government and health services. The presentations focused on the most modern technologies employed by smart cities with a view to providing pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors with the best possible services.