Pilgrims benefit from projects in Makkah, holy sites

arabnews.com

Pilgrims benefit from projects in Makkah, holy sites

MAKKAH: Projects carried out by the government in Makkah and the holy sites are facilitating pilgrims’ movement and providing them with the services they need to complete their Hajj comfortably and easily.

The Makkah Development Authority has implemented 14 projects worth SR300 million ($80 million).

The most prominent projects are the third expansion of the Grand Mosque (the largest expansion in Saudi history), the Jamaarat facility, the Muaissem slaughterhouse, the shuttle bus service, Al-Mashaaer Metro, pedestrian routes separated from vehicle traffic, fire-resistant tents and the removal of slums.

The Jamaarat facility has attracted global attention for its advanced architectural construction and its ability to hold millions of people without any major incident.

Al-Mashaaer Metro is expected to accommodate more than 350,000 pilgrims this year. Maj. Gen. Hamid Al-Jahdali, assistant commander of Hajj security forces, said 9,500 soldiers and officers will help with crowd management at the metro.

“We have 17 trains, each has 12 vehicles, and each vehicle can accommodate 250 people, including 50 seats for the elderly and 200 standing,” he said.

“The total capacity of each metro is 3,200 passengers in nine stations. The total number of passengers will be 72,000 passengers per hour.”

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source: arabnews.com

Supreme panel to study proposals to make Haj sites disabled-friendly

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Supreme panel to study proposals to make Haj sites disabled-friendly

Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, deputy premier, minister of interior and chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee, has issued directives to study the recommendations made by the Ministry of Haj and Umrah on facilitating matters for the disabled to use utilities in Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites.

The recommendations were referred to the crown prince by Makkah Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, adviser to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and chairman of the Central Haj Committee.

The recommendations call for making utilities, buildings and hotels in the two holy cities and the ritual sites disabled-friendly to serve people with special needs. They will be tabled for discussion during the forthcoming meeting of the Supreme Haj Committee.

The recommendations include preparing the services utilities in the holy sites in the first stage to facilitate the movement of people with physical disabilities.

The following stages will cover the infrastructure including the rehabilitation of the roads and streets in the holy sites, the train stations and the Jamarat Bridge as per international standards. The objective is to facilitate the movement of people with special needs.

Special blocks will be allocated for Tawafa establishments and domestic pilgrim companies to serve the disabled. Special restrooms will be allocated for them in camps at the holy sites. Signs will be placed to guide them to the special utilities and facilities for their use.

The recommendations also include providing the required number of buses within the Haj fleet to meet their needs. It should be made compulsory for Haj affairs offices to provide the ministry with the number of pilgrims with special needs annually well in time to make the necessary arrangements. The aim is to make sure Haj affairs offices provide staff to accompany and help the disabled pilgrims who are not accompanied by relatives or other aides.

All the utilities, facilities, buildings and hotels where Haj and Umrah pilgrims stay or use should be prepared in such a way that people with special needs will not face any difficulty in movement in all Haj sites.

A specialist agency should be assigned to study the current accomplishments made in this regard and how far the forthcoming stages will be benefited from following their completion.

The aim is to boost the positive aspects and detect the negative aspects and observations. Any unforeseen shortcomings shall be dealt with immediately.

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Source: saudigazette.com.sa

Over 1.3m arrive for Haj

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Over 1.3m arrive for Haj

MAKKAH — As many as 1,323,520 pilgrims have arrived from various parts of the world to perform this year’s Haj, which climaxes on Sunday with the Standing on Arafat.

According to Director General of the Passports Department (Jawazat) Maj. Gen. Solaiman Al-Yahya, 1,245,203 pilgrims have arrived by air through King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz International Airport in Madinah.

He said 65,594 pilgrims have arrived by land from neighboring countries and the rest by sea through various seaports, mainly the Jeddah Islamic Seaport.

Al-Yahya said that 216 foreign pilgrims who did not observe Haj instructions were sent back to their respective countries. The violations included forging of 52 passports.

Under the instructions of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Naif, deputy premier, interior minister and the chairman of the Supreme Haj committee, any external pilgrim with valid Haj permit who arrives late for valid reasons such as flight delay will be received and rushed to Makkah.

Meanwhile, Hashim Al-Falih, chairman of the Haj Preparation Committee at the Makkah Governorate, said that 189,000 people who attempted to enter Makkah and the Holy Sites were sent back from checkpoints since the beginning of the Haj season until Thursday.

He said the violating Saudi pilgrims will face imprisonment and fines while expatriates will face the same punishment and deportation.

Falih, who is adviser to Makkah Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, said 48,000 vehicles transporting illegal pilgrims were confiscated and 22 fake Haj companies sealed.

The Ministry of Haj and Umrah has warned that those domestic pilgrims who have registered for Haj and paid the fees but did not go for the pilgrimage will not get their money back.

“There will not be any reimbursement of fees for domestic pilgrims who are not in Makkah or the Holy Sites for Haj by Friday,” the ministry said in a statement.

However, those intending pilgrims who informed the ministry about their change of mind by Dhul Hijjah 3 (Sept. 5) will be reimbursed with a 40 percent deduction. But those who informed on Dhul Hijjah 6 (Sept. 8) that they won’t be performing Haj will be reimbursed with a deduction of 70 percent.

Source: saudigazette.com.sa

Holy sites may remain open for Umrah pilgrims all year

Holy sites may remain open for Umrah pilgrims all year

MAKKAH — The Haj Ministry is presently considering to keep the holy sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah open throughout the year for Umrah pilgrims, minister Bandar Al-Hajjar has said.

In an exclusive interview with Okaz/Saudi Gazette, Hajjar said the holy sites will remain open for Umrah pilgrims on condition that there are no excessive religious practices and under the rules to be approved by the government.

“We are considering the step in coordination with 20 other ministries and government departments which are involved in the Haj services,” he explained.

The minister also said his ministry will next Haj season make it obligatory on each pilgrim to wear the electronic bracelet which contains all data about him/her including name, Haj mission, address in the holy sites and other information that can be automatically retrieved any time.

He said the ministry will also introduce smart electronic applications to provide better and more comprehensive services to the Guests of Allah.

“We will complete our electronic portal which has so far been implemented by about 80 percent,” he added.

Hajjar said, under the portal, the ministry now has complete information about the real or fake service-providing companies inside the Kingdom and abroad.

“Thanks to the portal, we now have a complete blacklist of the violating companies,” Hajjar said threatening to withdraw the license of any company which is found to be substandard.

He advised external pilgrims to browse the ministry’s e-portal to know all the travel and tourism agencies which are licensed in their own countries to provide Haj services so as not to fall prey to the fake companies which will only embezzle their money.

He said the ministry will also next Haj season start enlightening pilgrims via text messages on their mobile phones about the correct methods of doing the rituals and the legal safe conduct they should closely observe during their stay in the Kingdom.

Hajjar asked all the Muslim countries and the Muslim communities in non-Islamic countries to enlighten their pilgrims to stay away from all publicity actions, secret meetings, demonstrations, tampering with the security of pilgrims, raising banners and flags containing unacceptable slogans, organizing political symposia or spreading sectarianism.

He also urged them to ask their pilgrims to be committed to the program of ascending from Makkah to Mina and Arafat, the grouping from their tents to the Jamrat and the Grand Mosque, regulations preventing squatting on the Haram plazas or the streets in Mina and to strictly observe good behavior.

Al-Hajjar said the ministry is currently considering to establish a new single institutional entity to represent  the 48 Umrah companies before the ministry and other concerned Haj authorities.

“The companies welcomed the idea which will open the door for the licensing of new Umah companies which may reach at least 100 firms in the coming days,” the minister said.

Article by: saudigazette.com.sa