JEDDAH, 31 January 2003 — New regulations for organizations handling domestic Haj pilgrims will be issued shortly, according to Haj Minister Iyad Madani.
The minister told Al-Eqtisadiah, a sister publication of Arab News, that another updated law for the tawafa organizations was being studied by the Supreme Haj Committee.
Madani indicated that, to ease traffic congestion, his ministry would seek a ban on domestic pilgrims using rented vehicles to shuttle between the holy sites. He said the first phase of a kitchen project in Mina would be ready before the coming Haj season.
Pilgrims from different parts of the Islamic world have started arriving in the Kingdom for the Haj, which is expected to start on Jan. 30. More than two million pilgrims are slated to perform Haj this time.
Pilgrim Transport
The executive committee supervising transportation of pilgrims met in Makkah on Monday and permitted 13,772 buses with a total of 651,371 seats to transport pilgrims. They included 1,877 new buses, according to Hatem Qadi, deputy Haj minister and chairman of the committee.
The Health Ministry has readied 13 hospitals and 161 health centers in Makkah and other holy sites for pilgrims.
Dr. Othman Al-Maimani, health director in Makkah, said more than 10,000 doctors, nurses and paramedical staff would be deployed for Haj service.
He estimated the total number of hospital beds in Makkah, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifa at 3,306, which could be increased to 4,231 in emergency situations.
Indonesian Pilgrims Arrive
Some 7,150 pilgrims, the first batch of 205,000 Indonesians who will perform Haj this year, arrived here yesterday. They came on flights from eight airports across the archipelago.
Radio Program
The Passports Department has prepared a radio program in Arabic, English, French, Indonesian, Urdu, Persian and Turkish language to enhance awareness of Saudi regulations among pilgrims.
