MECCA, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Around 2.5 million pilgrims from around the globe start travelling for Hajj destinations in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on Monday, taking light rails constructed and operated by China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC).

Many of the pilgrims, who travel by the light rail for the first time, gave the thumbs up to the fast and convenient services of the Chinese company, as the rail staff were busy helping passengers board the train.

Li Chongyang, the vice general manager of CRCC, told Xinhua that the light rail system is estimated to safely and accurately accomplish 2.5 million trips in the Hajj season that lasts five days from Sunday according to the Islamic calendar.

The CRCC won the bidding of the Mecca light rail project in 2009, and provided service for over 15 million trips in 2010-2014.

This year, the Saudi government gave the operating contract worth 93 million U.S. dollars to the CRCC again, three years after the company handed the operation back to the Saudi government.