Kidana Completes 1st Phase of Double-Story Tent Project in Mina to Expand Hajj Capacity

The full project is scheduled for completion by next year's Hajj season, with an expected capacity of up to 20,000 pilgrims. - SPA
The full project is scheduled for completion by next year's Hajj season, with an expected capacity of up to 20,000 pilgrims. - SPA
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Kidana Completes 1st Phase of Double-Story Tent Project in Mina to Expand Hajj Capacity

The full project is scheduled for completion by next year's Hajj season, with an expected capacity of up to 20,000 pilgrims. - SPA
The full project is scheduled for completion by next year's Hajj season, with an expected capacity of up to 20,000 pilgrims. - SPA

Kidana Development Company, the executive arm of the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites, has successfully completed the first phase of its double-story tent project in Mina, representing approximately 75% of the total project carried out in partnership with the private sector.

The project is part of a comprehensive development plan designed to enrich the pilgrim experience, increase capacity, and improve the quality of accommodation services in Mina, ensuring a comfortable and safe residential environment for pilgrims, SPA reported.

The first phase, developed in collaboration with a national company, covers more than 20,000 square meters and includes over 40 buildings equipped with more than 550 restrooms. Construction was completed in approximately 100 days using various techniques that accelerated implementation and delivered robust, flexible solutions capable of withstanding weather fluctuations.

For the Hajj season 1446 AH, approximately 8,000 pilgrims from various Hajj packages, both domestic and international, are expected to use the site. This limited deployment will serve as a critical test of the project's effectiveness and its suitability for meeting the diverse needs of pilgrims, potentially paving the way for expansion across the holy sites.

The full project is scheduled for completion by next year's Hajj season, with an expected capacity of up to 20,000 pilgrims.

The double-story tent initiative is set to significantly enhance the quality of accommodation services in the holy sites, enriching the pilgrim experience by providing a safe and organized residential environment that supports their well-being and meets diverse needs.

It will also create an optimal setting for performing rituals with ease and peace, contributing to greater pilgrim satisfaction and promoting sustainable, efficient land use.



Milan’s Historic La Scala Cracks Down on Tourist Dress Code

Milan’s La Scala opera house is an important Italian music institution dating back to the 16th century (Getty Images)
Milan’s La Scala opera house is an important Italian music institution dating back to the 16th century (Getty Images)
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Milan’s Historic La Scala Cracks Down on Tourist Dress Code

Milan’s La Scala opera house is an important Italian music institution dating back to the 16th century (Getty Images)
Milan’s La Scala opera house is an important Italian music institution dating back to the 16th century (Getty Images)

A historic opera house in Milan has cracked down on patrons and tourists entering the prestigious venue wearing summer attire such as shorts, tank tops and flip flops, warning they will be turned away if not dressed appropriately.

The opera was seen as a symbol of wealth and exclusivity in 19th-century high society, and the bourgeois elite of this time period would have been expected to turn up in tailcoats, cravats and long evening dresses, The Independent newspaper wrote on Monday.

While this opulent attire is not expected of patrons nowadays, it said Milan’s Teatro alla Scala opera house, commonly known as La Scala, has recently reinforced its smart dress code in the wake of opera-goers turning up in casual summer fashion.

“The public is kindly requested to dress in keeping with the decorum of the theater, out of respect for the theater and for other viewers,” La Scala’s policy said.

“People wearing shorts or sleeveless T-shirts will not be allowed inside the auditorium; in this case, tickets will not be reimbursed.”

The venue also has signs around the foyer and on tickets stating the same message, warning patrons that they will not get a refund if they turn up wearing clothes not in keeping with the “decorum.”

The rules over informal clothing were first introduced in 2015 when the summer season coincided with the World Expo in Milan, as a way to deter the influx of tourists turning up in summer wear.

“There are no special dress code requirements at La Scala,” a spokesperson at the theater told The Independent. “We are delighted that some of our audience members consider an evening at La Scala to be a special occasion and dress accordingly, but our priority is to welcome everyone and make sure they feel comfortable.

“This is precisely why, in 2015, we introduced restrictions on clothing that could cause discomfort to other audience members who have to share the often limited space of an 18th-century theater.

“With the return of summer (an especially hot one), we reminded the audience of these rules, which have remained unchanged for ten years.

“It would not be right to tell spectators how to dress, but it is necessary that they do dress, as not to cause discomfort to other people,” the spokesperson added.

La Scala’s spokesman added that there had been a “change in behavior led by visitors who do not follow opera but see La Scala as a landmark.”