China to build Mecca monorail

Updated at: 1317 PST, Wednesday, February 11, 2009 RIYADH: A Chinese company has won a contract to build a 1.8 billion dollar monorail to carry pilgrims around the Islamic holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia announced during a visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao.China Railway Co won the deal to construct the rail link between Mecca and the holy sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah, which are visited by massive tides of pilgrims during the annual hajj, the state news agency SPA said. More than two million Muslims descend on Mecca each year for the pilgrimage.The project was announced at a state dinner on Tuesday hosted by Saudi King Abdullah for Hu, who is on a three-day visit to shore up economic relations with the OPEC powerhouse and discuss energy supplies.