AMMAN - As it sets to celebrate its centennial on August 20, the Hijaz Railway's future looks bright as organisers seek to revitalise the historic route which once linked the Syrian capital Damascus to Mecca.
Jordan Hijaz Railway (JHR) Corporation Director General Mahmoud Khazaleh said in a press conference on Wednesday that to mark the occasion, the corporation will resume transportation of passengers and goods from Amman to Damascus after an eight-month stoppage for maintenance work.
"A big celebration will be held on the occasion under Royal patronage," he added.
Khazaaleh noted that around 22km of the JHR will be leased to the Amman-Zarqa light railway project for JD300,000 a year, adding that part of the revenue will be used for carrying out maintenance work on the Hijaz Railway.
He said the corporation earns some JD1 million in profits annually through the transportation of goods and passengers, adding that the JHR's current condition and age represent obstacles to the recent railway linkage agreement which was signed by 13 Arab countries.
In September 1900, Sultan Abdul Hamid called on Muslims across the world to collect donations for establishing a railway between Damascus and the holy sites in Saudi Arabia to facilitate the transport of pilgrims.
Construction of the five-million Ottoman gold lira track started in 1900 with a wire telegraph line along its side connecting Damascus with Al Madina Al Munawara and Mecca in Saudi Arabia, crossing though Amman.
The construction of the 1,303km-long track ended in 1908 as its first trip to Saudi Arabia kicked off on August 20 of that year, carrying large numbers of Arab pilgrims during the Hajj season.
Prior to the railway, pilgrims travelled in convoys, trekking by camel for 40-50 days from Damascus toward Al Madina Al Munawara and Mecca, braving robbers, floods and diseases.
In 1952, the Jordan Hijaz Railway Corporation was founded to administer and maintain the track within Jordan.
By Hani Hazaimeh
© Jordan Times 2008
