Maj. Gen. Suleiman Al-Ajlan, director general of traffic, said: “A study is under way with regard to facilitating the movement of groups of Umrah pilgrims from their accommodation to the Haram. The plan, which is aimed at easing the heavy rush during the peak of the Umrah season, could be implemented in the same manner as the Haj crowd control system.”
He said the system would be implemented in the future if it was deemed a feasible solution in the study.
Speaking to Al-Madinah Arabic daily, the traffic police chief said the second phase of the traffic restructuring plan in Makkah would be implemented after the forthcoming Haj.
“Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal had approved the implementation of the first phase of the plan with regard to Makkah’s arterial roads leading to the central Haram area and the holy sites,” he said, adding that this plan would be well suited to the huge number of vehicles entering the holy city during the peak Haj and Umrah seasons.
Al-Ajlan expressed hope that the plan would help solve traffic congestion, especially in the central Haram area and areas where there are restrictions on the entry of vehicles during peak hours. He claimed that local residents as well as visitors to the city were positively responding to the new traffic reforms being implemented in Makkah.
According to the traffic chief, there are 10 parking areas for vehicles in Makkah allocated in the traffic plan for this year.
“Of these, five are at the entrances of Makkah from the Jeddah Expressway, Madinah Expressway, Sharaie Al-Sail, Al-Hada and Al-Laith. There are five parking areas inside the holy city, including those in Al-Zaher, Kuday, Rusaifa and the one near Jamrat in Mina,” he said, adding that hundreds of thousands of vehicles have used these parking areas this Ramadan.
“More than half a million people have benefited from the public transport system in Makkah this year and this contributed substantially to easing traffic congestion in the holy city,” he said.
Al-Ajlan said that increasing awareness among the public about using the public transport system has played a big role in easing traffic jams in the city.
“We have noticed a tremendous response with a large number of pilgrims and visitors coming to these parking areas and taking a shuttle service to and from the Haram. Most people now are adapting to the new system of parking their private vehicles at the designated parking areas and using shuttle service to reach the Haram,” he said, claiming that this is the best system to ease congestion during rush hours in the holy city.
Al-Ajlan pointed out that charges for using the shuttle service were nominal.
“The passengers need to pay only SR2 for their travel either on SAPTCO or Hafel buses from all parking areas inside the holy city. Charges to the Haram from parking areas located outside the city are not more than SR5. Hafel Company with its advanced fleet of buses is playing a vital role in transporting pilgrims and visitors from these stations to the Haram,” he said, while unveiling plans to allow more private companies to enter the public transport sector to benefit Haj and Umrah pilgrims.
Referring to measures to ensure the safety of vehicles parked at stations, Al-Ajlan said a strong contingent of security guards from various agencies are present at these parking lots around the clock.
“All the facilities to ensure the safety of vehicles in addition to utility services for the passengers are available at these parking stations. These include police and Civil Defense units, health clinics, food outlets and toilets,” he said.
The traffic police chief warned taxi drivers who charge exorbitantly would face punitive measures. “Those operating private taxis will also be dealt with firmly,” he said, adding that about 200 such vehicles have been seized from various parts of the city.
