A Haj Ministry official has admitted that private sector firms employ low-quality buses to commute pilgrims between the holy sites, looking to make a quick profit.
However, he said his ministry, in cooperation with the Transport Ministry and other organizations, is working to replace the old buses with new ones especially equipped to cope with high temperatures this summer.
Sahel Al-Sabban, undersecretary at the Haj Ministry, confirmed that firms had begun replacing the old buses with new ones to ensure a comfortable pilgrimage for the guests of Allah. The number of air-conditioned buses has also been increased to 20,000.
Commenting on the low quality of some buses used during Haj transportation, he said: “Buses used to be imported from France and Germany in the past. Now they are being imported from China and Korea at lesser cost. The main goal of private firms is to earn money and profits.
“Nonetheless, some buses made in East Asia are less costly but are of high quality standards,” he said.
Commenting on the poor quality buses plying between the holy sites, he said: “A specialized technical committee inspects the buses and decides whether they are road-worthy according to well-defined standards.”
He also stressed that all the buses that enter the Kingdom have to comply with strict quality standards and are constantly checked for safety, quality of seats and windshields.
Some Haj firms using ‘cheap buses’
