Saudi Arabia's high-speed rail project launches at 300kmph
High-speed railway links Mecca and Medina
Saudi Arabia, Sept 25: Saudi King Salman on Tuesday inaugurated a high-speed railway linking Mecca and Medina, Islam's holiest cities, described by local officials as the biggest transportation project in the region.
The Haramain High-Speed Rail system will transport Muslim pilgrims, as well as regular travellers, 450 kilometres (280 miles) between the two cities via the Red Sea port of Jeddah in two hours.
"This project is considered the biggest transport project in the Middle East," Mohammed Falaha, a Haramain project manager, told AFP.
Thirty-five passenger trains capable of travelling at speeds of 300 kilometres per hour will slash the travel time from several hours to 120 minutes, transport officials said.
The rail project, dogged by several delays, was built at a cost of more than $16 billion, according to Saudi media.
In 2011, Saudi Arabia signed a deal for a Spanish consortium to build the rail track, supply 35 high-speed trains and handle a 12-year maintenance contract.
The kingdom is boosting its infrastructure spending and expanding its railways, including with a $22.5 billion metro system under construction in the capital Riyadh, as it seeks to diversify its oil-dependent economy.
The annual hajj pilgrimage, which is to be held in September next year, attracts more than two million Muslims to the Mecca region.
Courtesy: www.khaleejtimes.com
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Davanagere: Boy accused of theft tied to tree, hit with sticks
police file FIR against nine youths, arrest two
Davanagere: An incident of a boy accused of theft being tied to an arecanut tree and tortured by letting red ants into his private parts has come to light late, with a video of the scene, reportedly from Asthapana Halli near Nallur in Channagiri taluk, going viral.
The incident is learned to have occurred a few months ago. The boy, who belongs to the Hakki Pikki tribal community, was attacked by a group of 10 to 15 youngsters of the same community. The youngsters are seen in the video clip assaulting the boy with sticks and a drip pipe even as the boy continues to scream.
An FIR has been filed against nine of the suspects in connection with the incident, based on a complaint filed by the boy’s grandfather. Two of the suspects have also been arrested by the police.
