Saudis explain working plans, initiatives for Hajj season

MAKKAH (Pajhwok): The Saudi government has developed an integrated plan for this year’s Hajj operation, Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Mohammed Saleh bin Taher Benten says.

The plan envisages high standards in line with directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the crown prince.

He said the continued to take follow-up measure to provide the finest services possible for the pilgrims coming from all over the world to perform the ritual in safety.

At a press conference in Makkah, he said his ministry had devised plans for operations and follow-up mechanisms to find out what institutions and companies inside and outside the kingdom provided the pilgrims with.

Effectiveness of all electronic systems and human cadres had been ensured in line with the Vision of the Kingdom 2030, and dealing with the large groups of the lord guests, the minister added.

Saleh said his ministry had allocated a free number of services (8004304444) to receive reports, complaints and inquiries. All pilgrims can submit complaints through the application of “Manasikuna” on smart phones.

Reception centers have been set up for pilgrims at entrances to Makkah and Madina. The well-equipped centres have more than 1800 male and female employees to manage the flow of buses.

The ministry has enabled women to work in the service of guests. Two Saudi women have been appointed to the board of directors for South Asian Pilgrims Guide Foundation.

Many women are working in command and control rooms, reception offices for pilgrims and rafting establishments in accordance with objectives of the Vision of the Kingdom 2030.

He said the objectives included an e-visa program in more countries than one, in addition to the experience of smart card with a number of pilgrims from Russia.

Saleh’s deputy Dr. Abdulfattah bin Suleiman Mashat said the ministry had created an electronic path, linking all Hajj-related bodies to shorten the time for meeting formalities and controlling the level of services offered.

It has also launched a smart translation in all living languages in addition to reminding pilgrims of the scheduled time of starting to move from one point to another.

He said the ministry also provided an innovated platform serving more than 17,000 buses to control and follow up their movements within Hajj zones.

Other initiatives are “Makkah is longing for you” and “Become helpful for others”, which organise the work of voluntary groups in the service of pilgrims.

Undersecretary of the Ministry for Hajj Affairs Dr. Hussein Al-Shareef said the number of field service offices had been jacked up to 720 to serve more than two million pilgrims.

A pre-processed food snack service for 15% of pilgrims would be launched this year and gradually increased in the coming years, he concluded.

pk/mud

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