Saudi Arabia has rolled out a special metro train service for this year’s Hajj season that will allow nearly 370,000 pilgrims to travel daily from Makkah to Arafat and help reduce traffic congestion, said a report.
The train service, which is exclusive for the Hajj season, was flagged off on Monday, reported the Press Trust of India.
It will commence operations between the Arafat 1 station and will head north toward Jamarat in Mina, stopping at the nine stations along the way, said the report citing the Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana) company, which was awarded a three-year contract for operations and maintenance of the train network.
This year’s metro service, will be carrying 370,000 passengers daily, al-Mashaer al-Muqaddassah Makkah Metro Southern Line (MMMSL) director of Operations Hajji Mohammad Burhanuddin Esmail said.
Providing connectivity between Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina, more than 370,000 pilgrims are expected to travel daily on the 18.1km alignment.
The train service is expected to effectively take out 53,000 buses being used by pilgrims and ease traffic congestions.It will operate in five different modes of movements in sync with the Hajj rituals, said the report.
The train operations will be close for this year on Sunday, it added.
