It will develop tourism services linked to the commercial area, including ‘Te Gardens of Light,’ the shopping area and world-class tourist sites. According to the KEC, more and more residential projects are needed in Madinah to cater to the needs of the ever-growing population and the increased number of visitors to the city. Madinah is the 2nd holy city in Islam, and the first capital of the Islamic civilization. It was the home of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) and his burial place. Te population in the Prophet’s City stands at one million, but is expected to more than double by 2020, according to research. Plans include a special residential area close to the Holy Mosque, a purpose built business district that will attract financial, commercial and service institutions. Other key aims will be to encourage advanced infrastructure to enable maximum production and an environment that motivates human creativity. Build a community that relies on the knowledge industries and has the economic ability to grow and prosper in KEC Dr Sami M Baroum, chairman of KEC, says between six and eight million Muslims visit Madinah every year and the number is expected to reach 34 million by 2024. In addition, Dr Baroum points out that Madinah’s population has recently crossed the one million mark and is officially the fourth largest city in Saudi Arabia, growing ahead of the national average at around 3.4% per year and expected to double in the next 20 years. KEC’s location will make it unique due to its strategic position within the holy city zone, next to the train station and international airport. It is connected to all the major highways and main road network in Madinah. It will enjoy a 3.5km frontage on both sides of King Abdulaziz road which links it directly to the holy mosque and is envisioned to be the first route for the planned public transport project. Dr Baroum explains: “Te Saudi government has planned and initiated
T
he Knowledge Economic City (KEC) in Madinah, was launched by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, in June 2006 and will meet the growing housing demand in the holy city.
many development projects to cater to the growing demand in all sectors amongst residents and visitors. Te holy mosque continues to witness significant expansion efforts, with the upcoming one promising to increase its capacity from the current 600,000 to nearly one million worshipers at peak times. Te airport is being expanded into a world-class international hub with capacity reaching eight million passengers by 2014. Te Haramain high-speed railway is another key transport enabler that will be able to accommodate six million passengers by 2014 and ultimately reach a capacity of 12 million passengers per year.” Dr Baroum says these economic indicators, coupled with the mega
projects mentioned, will have a significant quantitative and qualitative impact on the economy of Madinah. Tey will generate tremendous demand for all types of products and services catering to the needs of the growing visitors’ base and population. “KEC is envisioned to be a key enabler in providing such offerings and
attracting investments in knowledge-based industries that leverage Madinah’s unique assets to create more jobs, improved visiting experiences and lifestyle opportunities,” he adds.
SMART CITY Te modern development will have the latest IT infrastructure based on a Smart City model where residents, workers and visitors can take advantage of the Smart Infrastructure related services to enable lifestyle experience and achieve optimum productivity. It is envisioned that buildings and facilities developed in KEC will be able to take advantage of the Smart Infrastructure by adopting the guidelines of KEC in implementing an IP (Internet Protocol) based converged network that will enable simpler connectivity of facilities within the building, improve ability to manage maintenance and energy usage as well as provide a platform to deliver various network related value added services. Madinah has a unique position for attracting Muslim talents from all overg
JUNE 2011 I CITYSCAPE I 17
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