MAKKAH, 17 January — Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed yesterday called upon government officials and agencies involved in this year's Haj operation to extend the best possible services to the guests of God.
"Our services to pilgrims should not be carried out as a routine affair. On the other hand, we should double our efforts to ensure their comfort and to help them perform their religious duties with ease," the governor said, while inaugurating the second seminar on improving Haj services at Makkah Inter.Continental Hotel. He also opened an exhibition organized by the Haj Ministry on the sidelines of the seminar.
A number of manuscripts, pictures and other antiques related to Haj including coins and currencies used by pilgrims in the past as well as different models of Makkah are on display at the exhibition.
Addressing the function, Haj Minister Iyad Madani said he had met with more than 50 foreign Haj missions this year to discuss arrangements for their pilgrims.
The minister said work had already started to expand pilgrims lounges at the Madinah airport. The expanded facility would be utilized during this Haj season, he added.
Madani highlighted the significance of training programs to improve the services being rendered to pilgrims. Fouad Abdul Hameed Anqawi, deputy supervisor of the center for training Haj and Umrah workers, said the center had so far trained 700 officials.
Earlier yesterday, Prince Abdul Majeed presided over a meeting of the Central Haj Committee which reviewed the preparations made by various government agencies including the Saudi Electricity Company and the Saudi Red Crescent Society for the upcoming Haj.
Abdul Rahman Al-Oqla, acting secretary-general of the committee, said the SEC would deploy more than 775 of its employees including engineers and technicians on Haj duty.
Referring to the Haj plan of the Red Crescent Society, he said the society would add 10 first aid centers to its 55 centers in the holy sites of Makkah, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifa. It will also mobilize 1,200 of its qualified cadre and 233 ambulances and vehicles to extend services to the pilgrims.
He said the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Propagation and Guidance would supervise the mosques in and around Makkah and other holy sites to keep them clean and ensure their proper maintenance. There are 7,500 mosques in Makkah and four mosques in the holy sites of Mina, Muzdalifa and Arafat.
