ABU DHABI 5 August 2019: Saudi Arabia has received 95,853,170 pilgrims over the past 50 years, with numbers exceeding two million during the last two Haj seasons.
King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and King of Saudi Arabia, instructed all Saudi authorities to provide the best services to pilgrims, and the country has began receiving pilgrims through land, sea and air ports, and is providing comprehensive services.
King Salman is hosting the Indonesian pilgrim, Haj Aidros Samari, who is 130 years old, and his six family members while they perform their Haj pilgrimage this season, said Wam.
Pilgrims visiting Saudi Arabia during this Haj season will number 1,405,645, according to statistics from the Monitoring, Control and Measurement Centre of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
The Civil Defence completed its preparations to serve pilgrims, in coordination with government authorities, while the Air Security General Command also began implementing its plan.
Preparations
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Da’wah and Guidance, represented by the General Secretariat of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Hajj and Umrah Programme, provided hundreds of modern buses equipped with interactive screens, to guide pilgrims in their languages.
One of the smart initiatives being implemented is the “E-Path Project” for international pilgrims, which enables organisers to explore services provided to pilgrims in Mecca and Madina, as well as keep track of their movement and accommodation details through bracelets that store data on the pilgrims, such as their visa details, tour packages, and dates of arrival and departure.
Saudi Arabia launched its fifth generation service in Mecca and other holy places, by introducing 37 stations around the central region. It also launched the second phase of the Hajj Smart Initiative, which aims to provide innovative digital and awareness services for pilgrims.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology announced its preparations and programmes for this year’s Haj season, including its new network and technical system, that can serve the many pilgrims expected to visit the holy sites.
e-Guide
The General Authority for Meteorology and Environment Protection also issued an e-guide for pilgrims in Arabic, English, French and Urdu.
The first pilgrimage tour began on the rapid train from Madina, transporting 170 pilgrims to Mecca.
Saudi Arabia also directed all hospitals and health centres to be ready to provide the best services to pilgrims, and the Ministry of Health prepared six airfields in Mecca and other holy sites for the rapid evacuation of patients.
