MAKKAH: Advanced technology is being used to control crowds in Makkah and the holy sites, according to a senior official responsible for crowd management at the holy sites.
“Geo information systems are in place and television cameras have been installed at all important locations to monitor surging crowds and any possible untoward situation,” Maj. Gen. Saad Al-Khelaiwi, assistant director for operations and assistant commander for crowd management, told Arab News yesterday.
About 1,500 cameras have been placed at prime locations, including on the Jamrat Bridge, at the Grand Mosque, in tunnels and all pedestrian roads and hilltops.
“The underlying principle of our strategy is never to allow people coming from different directions to converge. With this objective we have taken steps to guarantee that pedestrians move only in a single direction on a particular road,” Al-Khelaiwi said.
A number of security men posted at several locations on roads have been told to stop anyone moving in a direction that is counter to the flow of pedestrian traffic on any particular route. “Signs displayed on the roads advise pilgrims to travel in only one direction,” the assistant director added.
The measure to enforce one-way direction for pedestrians has been adopted following recommendations by domestic and foreign experts who took part in several crowd management workshops.
“With the help cameras placed on roads and other places in Makkah and the holy sites, particularly the Jamrat Bridge area, the Control and Command Center maintains a round-the-clock vigil. The greatest advantage of the system is that the control room gets a clear idea every moment of the number of pilgrims moving toward the Jamrat from different directions and the officials could be geared to handle any emergency. The cameras also spot the places where illegal pilgrims try to erect their makeshift camps,” he said.
The cameras also help the control room notice the activities of security forces working in a particular area and that helps in sending reinforcement in case of emergency, he added.
Speaking about the method of responding to reports at the command center, the assistant director said, “The personnel manning the center analyze the reports quickly and pass them to the relevant section responsible for handling that particular situation. Departments of police, Red Crescent, Civil Defense, Car Syndicate and utilities are working in concert with the command and control center.”
