Jeddah December 28 2023: Avanceon Arabia InfoTech (AAIT), a subsidiary of Avanceon, and Umm Al-Qura for Development & Construction Company (UAQ), the owner and developer of Masar Destination, have signed an agreement to develop a cutting-edge smart city solution for residents and visitors of Makkah city that will be implemented and delivered by a joint venture between Avanceon Saudi Energy Co. and ZOMCO (Zamil Operations & Maintenance), a fully owned subsidiary of Zamil Group.
The multimillion-dollar project falls under the Smart Infrastructure domain where AAIT will deploy a Smart City Solution with a scope that includes supply chain, Installation, testing, and the commissioning of an Intelligent Platform for Smart City. The infrastructure transformation is part of the Kingdom’s pledge to create a thriving economy through its Vision 2030.
Abdul Mohsen Al-Bakr, Chief Development Officer, at Masar commented on the development project,
“We are pleased to partner with Avanceon in this key milestone; their experience in the field of smart cities will be of great value to the success of this project.” The smart city project is expected to be completed by 2025.”
Executive Director & CEO Avanceon Arabia InfoTech (Zamil JV Co.), Sarmad Mahmood Qureshi said,
“We are thrilled to unveil the integration of our cutting-edge smart city solution, a milestone in our ongoing mission to expedite a streamlined, sustainable, and interconnected urban landscape in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Masar is taking the lead in KSA. This ground-breaking collaboration with Masar underscores our shared commitment to enriching the lives of both residents and visitors, elevating public services, and securing a brighter future for all residents and visitors of Makkah. Through this smart city solution, Avanceon and Masar are propelling the city towards a future marked by intelligence, sustainability, and inclusivity. Together, we are crafting a city that operates with greater efficiency, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, business intelligence, digitalization, and innovative mobility and energy solutions to benefit every journey in the holy city”.
The agreement came after a meeting held on Wednesday, August 3, 2023, to launch the Smart City project in the holy city of Makkah. The meeting was represented by Sarmad Mahmood Qureshi, Executive Director & CEO of Avanceon Arabia InfoTech (Zamil JV Co.), and Abdul Mohsen Al-Bakr, Chief Development Officer at Masar. Both parties discussed objectives and implementation plans of the project. The Smart City project aims to transform Makkah into a smarter, sustainable and urban destination. The project will involve a range of smart technologies including artificial intelligence, data analysis and sustainable transport.
Makkah residents will benefit from the smart city project in several ways that include: • Improved public transportation and mobility services • Increased safety and security • Improved air quality • Ease of access to government services
It will also benefit religious tourism in several ways including: • Mobility and ease of transportation in the city • Ease of access to information about religious and cultural places • Personalized services
Masar Destination, located strategically at the heart of Makkah and extending over 1.2 million SQM, will be a distinctive landmark offering a diverse range of offerings that vary between hospitality, mobility, retail, culture, entertainment, and more; all while preserving the spiritual nature and cultural heritage of the holy city.
Avanceon will provide all services in accordance with the local regulatory and QHSE authorities’ requirements. For the execution of this project, Avanceon will be partnering with world class OEMs. All necessary studies will be conducted prior to the launch of the project with plans to address any safety, quality, and environmental issues.
