The Civil Defense has set up an emergency shelter to accommodate 100,000 pilgrims during this year’s Haj season.
Lt. Gen. Saad Al-Tuwaijri, director general of the department, said the Civil Defense is prepared to deal with 13 possible calamities including floods, fires, tremors, rainstorms and gas leak.
“The government has given us everything we need including staff and equipment to carry out our mission effectively during the Haj,” he said.
Al-Tuwaijri said 18 government departments and agencies would participate in implementing the Civil Defense’s Haj safety plans.
“We start our preparations for Haj soon after the end of the previous season and plan taking into account our strengths and shortcomings. We have established centers in Makkah and other holy sites to deal quickly with emergency situations,” he said.
The department will use GPS systems to locate accident sites quickly. “We’ll also use SMS messages to inform pilgrims about Haj safety regulations.”
Easy transport
Jabara Al-Seraisry, minister of transport, has approved a plan to facilitate the transportation of pilgrims to the holy sites, the Grand Mosque and their lodgings without delay or roadblocks.
According to the plan, the ministry will supervise and monitor the activities of the Saudi Arabian Public Transport Company (SAPTCO) and other transporting companies permitted to operate during the pilgrimage season.
A team from the ministry will implement the plan with the collaboration of the Ministry of Haj, the Directorate of Public Security, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Haj Research Institute and the Makkah Municipality.
The ministry will also ensure that pilgrims are transported from Aziziah District and other areas in which they are housed to the Grand Mosque for all the compulsory prayers.
The plan also aims to ensure that highways and expressways leading to Makkah are maintained to the best condition, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Excellence prize
A Haj excellence prize in the name of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has been proposed for countries that manage their Haj affairs effectively.
The proposal was made at a seminar held in Madinah on Wednesday that was organized by the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques.
Participants said the prize would encourage countries to compete with one another in managing their Haj affairs, adding that it would have a big impact on Haj management in the coming years.
The seminar, which was launched by Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman, urged foreign Haj missions to enlighten their pilgrims on Haj matters prior to their arrival in the Kingdom.
