By; Aisha Muhammad Ahmed, Makkah,
Saudi Arabia is no doubt modernising as a means of easily accommodating and making life comfortable for millions of pilgrims who annually embark on lesser hajj and pilgrimage.
To achieve this, it is also utilising and prioritising technology in transportation and health.
One of the major challenges that pilgrims face during annual hajj operations is traffic as you have a million to two plus simultaneously performing same rituals withing Makkah especially and moving from one point of ritual to another.
The Saudi authorities are putting all the necessary measures in place to eradicate this issue or reduce it the barest minimum by introducing modern light transportation via fast train to convey pilgrims to their destinations ar ease.
While embarking on a media tour of these facilities with various teams from across the glob, the Managing Director Dr. Tayyib Al-Sufri said that Saudi Arabia is leaving no stone unturned in making sure that pilgrims enjoy unhindered movement as they carry out the hajj exercise.
He explained that the movement of the pilgrims is scheduled for varied operations.
The train has five different stations. It transports pilgrims to various places of worships which includes: Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifa during the Hajj exercise and shuttles between Medina and Mecca afterwards.
With it spacious interior, comfortable platform, elevators and escalators, it is easy for pilgrims to board hitch free.
In another development, a press conference was held to brief the team about the plans made by internal entities such as the ministry of interior, ministry of Islamic Affairs and that of health in Saudi Arabia to serve the pilgrims.
The ministry of interior makes sure that places in Saudi Arabia are in orderly manner with rules and regulations. The minister of Hajj and Umrah on the other hand cares for the welfare of the pilgrims by ensuring adequate preparations and implementation. The ministry of health ensures that pilgrims healthcare is a top priority from the commencement of the exercise to the end.
A lot of people within the health entities participate to examine cases where need be, and do theirbest. Also active is food and drug administration.
The health ministry also advise pilgrims to be hydrated, ensure personal hygiene and wear face mask in crowded places.
The call center 937 is available for pilgrims use 24/7..
Pilgrims’ seamless movements, welfare and health is key and as such, Saudi Arabia has developed technological infrastructures to ease the pilgrimage.
