Makkah Gains Approval for First International Airport and Metro
The Royal Commission for Makkah City has secured approval to build the city's first international-standard airport, while feasibility studies for a Makkah Metro are complete.
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Last updated: 29 Jul 2026, 5:28 PM (Saudi time)
The Royal Commission for Makkah City has secured approval to build the city's first international-standard airport, while feasibility studies for a Makkah Metro are complete.
The Prophet's Mosque in Madinah has expanded its integrated digital services, including real-time prayer-area monitoring, smart indoor maps, and multi-language sermon translation.
The Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites has awarded contracts to redevelop seven districts across 4.4 million square meters at a cost of $4.3 billion.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior concluded the eighth edition of the Makkah Route Initiative, pre-clearing 388,694 pilgrims in their home countries across 10 nations.
As the lunar calendar moves Hajj out of peak summer from 2027, Saudi Arabia continues to expand a record cooling and shading operation across Makkah and the holy sites, while urging pilgrims to take personal heat precautions.
India released its Haj Policy 2027 on 22 June 2026 and opened applications, retaining the 70:30 quota split, adding Kolkata as an embarkation point, tightening medical screening and planning AI-assisted pilgrim services.
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