MAKKAH, 20 December 2007 — If there is no room in a car, that doesn’t have to be a problem. There is always the roof — and the roof is available for rental to pilgrims. Car owners are now taking advantage of the season to make as much money as possible even at the expense of pilgrim’s safety. For many pilgrims, it does not matter where they sit as long as they get to their destination.
Carrying pilgrims on the roof of minivans and buses is illegal and drivers could be fined for it. There is as yet no news of pilgrims falling off the roofs of vehicles.
Arab News had a look at the buses and cars entering Makkah and spoke to pilgrims who have chosen to enter Makkah sitting on the tops of them.
Ishak Akbar, on top of a GMC, said that taxis and private cars charge more than SR50 per passenger. On the other hand, he said the charge for space on top of buses and minivans is only SR10 per passenger. He said that passengers on the top have to bear the hot sun and the smoke from other vehicles but they get a chance to enjoy good views of Makkah and the crowds of people.
Lutfi Ahmad, an Egyptian pilgrim, said that he preferred to ride on top of a minibus rather than being stuck inside with a broken air-conditioner. “Most of the vehicles available are old and do not have an AC,” said Lutfi, who admitted that he preferred to take the risk and pay less money.
Arshad Hussein, a Pakistani pilgrim, paid only SR15 for a space on top of a minivan. “I know this is illegal and dangerous but I could not find any other way,” he said. “The good thing about this is that the roads are crowded and there is no chance for drivers to speed up. This will limit the possibility of a traffic accident.”
All drivers questioned by Arab News refused to talk except for one who did not want his name published. “We are here for work and we want to make as much money as possible. We benefit from each and every chance. Therefore we offer seats for pilgrims on the tops of our vehicles in return for smaller amounts of money.”
He said that most drivers have bills and debts to pay and since this was a good way to make money, he wondered why people are complaining.
“If you look around, many pilgrims are riding on top of minivans and buses. There are not many cars available and, in fact, we are offering pilgrims who want our service a reasonable price.” The head of the traffic department, Col. Ahmad Al-Otaibi, warned pilgrims about the dangers of riding on top of minivans and buses.
“Drivers of those vehicles will be fined. We want all drivers and pilgrims to cooperate with us in order to keep the roads safe,” Al-Otaibi said.
