The Mecca Light Railway, built and operated by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC), yet again proved to be a huge success during the recently concluded annual Hajj pilgrimage that saw over two million visitors this year.
The elevated light rail, also known as Mecca Metro, whisked millions of pilgrims between holy sites during the five days of Hajj from August 19 to 24, with many acknowledging the great convenience the railway network has brought to the overall experience.
The Mecca Metro is aimed at easing traffic congestion on the road during the Hajj and provides a convenient transportation option for pilgrims. /Photo via CIC, Saudi Arabia
"It's a revolution. A great example of modern transportation in Islam's holiest centers and one of the oldest cities in the Arab world," said Asifa Anjoom, a Pakistani pilgrim who visited Mecca for the first time.
"The rail network has made commuting between the city's various points of interest during the Hajj so convenient" she said in praise of the project.
"China is known for building impressive infrastructure and connectivity projects. It is no surprise that they have done a wonderful job in building and operating the Mecca Metro," said Egyptian Mohammed Naguib, another pilgrim who availed the services.
Li Chongyang, the vice general manager of CRCC, earlier told Xinhua news agency that the light rail system is estimated to have safely operated 2.5 million trips in the Hajj season.
Muslim pilgrims ride on a metro from Arafat area to Mina during the annual Hajj season in the western Saudi city of Mecca, August 22, 2018. /VCG Photo
The CRCC won the bidding to build the 18-kilometer light rail line and nine stations in 2009. After completing the 1.8-billion-US-dollar-project in 16 months, the Chinese company also operated the rail line from 2010 and 2014 during which it ran over 15 million trips.
In 2015, the operations were transferred to the Saudi government but earlier in April this year, the CRCC entered into a new operations contract worth 350 million Saudi riyals (93 million US dollars).
The light rail, which is the first railway built by a Chinese company in the Middle East, is aimed at easing traffic congestion on the road during the Hajj and provide a convenient transportation option for pilgrims as it links three main Hajj destinations.
Linking Islam's two holiest sites
The Haramain High-Speed Railway, which is scheduled to open in September 2018, will connect the two holiest Islamic cities of Mecca and Medina.
The Mecca Metro project is the first of two rail links aimed at easing pilgrim traffic. The much larger Haramain High-Speed Rail project - being built at a cost of 60 billion Saudi riyals (16 billion US dollars) - will connect Islam's holiest city Mecca with its second holiest, Medina, and is expected to open this September.
Two Chinese companies including CRCC and China South Locomotive and Rolling Stock (CSLRS) are involved in the project as part of different consortiums. Construction started in March 2009.
The 450-kilometer electric railway is designed to carry 60 million passengers a year, including millions of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, through its 35 trains.
Using electric propulsion that will drive the trains to an operating speed of 300 kilometers per hour (km/h), the express train is expected to cut travel time between the cities of Mecca and Madinah to under two hours, instead of six hours by bus, according to a Gulf News report.
The trains, named the Haramain Express, are designed to reach speeds of up to 360 km/h and have been undergoing tests since the end of 2017. In December 2016, Haramain High-Speed Rail project director Bassam bin Ahmed Ghulman said it is the largest transportation project in the Middle East and one of the largest public transportation projects in the world.
China's 'Railway Diplomacy'
Iranian officials applaud on the platform as the first train connecting China and Iran arrives at Tehran railway station, February 15, 2016. /VCG Photo
Chinese firms are in the forefront of railway construction in the wider Middle East region as many countries boost their spending on creating new or upgrading existing rail infrastructure.
In addition to the networks in Saudi Arabia, Chinese companies have taken up railway projects in Turkey, Iran, Israel, Egypt, Ethiopia and Djibouti.
According to business intelligence firm MEED, rail contracts worth 16 billion US dollars are set to be awarded in the Middle East and North Africa this year. The longer-term pipeline projects could reach well above 200 billion US dollars. No wonder that the Chinese firms are hoping to cash in on the prospects.
China's foray into the construction of railways across the region has been described by experts as 'Railway Diplomacy' and is at the heart of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to connect Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
(Cover: The Mecca Metro whisked millions of pilgrims between the holy sites in Mecca during the five days of Hajj from August 19 to 24. /Photo via CIC, Saudi Arabia)