المملكة: “Hajj and Umrah” controls the movement of crowds with “188 pilgrims per regiment”

Ministry of Hajj and Umrah An expanded package of instructions and regulatory controls for pilgrims’ transport and dispatch services for Hajj season 1447 AH– included operational developments and control measures aimed at increasing the efficiency of crowd management and ensuring the smooth movement of pilgrims between The Holy Sites and the Grand Mosque, with the imposition of precise requirements on service-providing companies and pilgrim affairs offices.

The Ministry stressed in the document issued by it that the success of the Hajj season is directly related to the accuracy of the implementation of transportation and packing plans, in light of the large numbers of pilgrims and the limited spaces within the Holy Sites, which requires high-level coordination between government agencies and service companies to ensure the safety of pilgrims and their commitment to the temporal and spatial timings for performing the ritual.

Operational Violations

The instructions revealed clear operational violations related to the times of departure of pilgrims, as the Ministry considered that sending pilgrims from Mecca to Jeddah more than “9 hours” before the flight time is a violation, while late departure less than “6 hours” before the flight is also considered a violation.

It also prohibited the departure operations from Mecca to Medina during the period from “11 o’clock.” in the evening” and “7 am”, in addition to considering the delay in transporting pilgrims to and from the Haramain train station for more than “one hour” an operational violation.

4 main stages

The Ministry identified four main stages for the pilgrims’ desires and their transportation plans, which included the transportation from Mecca to Mina, the escalation to Arafat, and the movement between Mina and the Grand Mosque during the days of Tashreeq, in addition to the departure from Mina to Mecca on the “12 and 13” days of the month. Al-Hajjah.

It also obligated the Pilgrimage Affairs Offices to contract with approved transportation companies to organize the transportation of pilgrims between their homes and the Grand Mosque, with pilgrims distributed into two morning and evening periods at a rate of “50%” for each period to reduce congestion at transportation stations, especially during peak days and Fridays.

Operational Requirements

The Ministry included among the operational requirements for frequency transportation companies requirements related to efficiency and experience, as it obligated the companies Appointing a senior management for the frequency transport system with no less than “5 years” experience, in addition to providing qualified personnel to manage the movement of pilgrims and prevent them from deviating from the specified routes.

It also required the presence of specialized employees before the arrival of buses and during the transfer process inside the hospitality centers, along with holding training workshops for drivers and workers, implementing field awareness programs, and linking the transportation systems technically with the approved electronic systems.

Operational deviations

Within the framework of organizing the movement of crowds, The Ministry has determined a precise mechanism for distributing pilgrims within the delegation system, such that each group consists of “188 pilgrims,” while each group includes “5 regiments,” with a total of “940 pilgrims.” The group supervisor was also assigned to field and electronic supervision of the movement of these numbers and immediately address any operational deviations.

The instructions emphasized the necessity of the service providing companies committing to prepare training programs for the members of the delegation, and coordinating with the Pilgrimage Affairs offices to qualify guides and assistants to the regiment leaders, in a way that ensures raising the efficiency of crowd management inside the holy sites. %» of the total number of pilgrims in Mina until the thirteenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, with the aim of relieving pressure on the sites for performing the rituals and not exceeding the capacity of the holy sites.

The Ministry also stressed full adherence to the timetables for throwing stones at Jamarat and train stations, taking into account the curfew hours and the immediate instructions issued during the delegation operations, in order to preserve the safety of pilgrims and prevent human congestion.

The Tawaf of Arrivals

The instructions made clear that The arrival circumambulation for pilgrims must be completed within a period not exceeding “8 hours” from arriving at the residence in Mecca, through prior reservation in the designated program. It also stipulated that the last day for the arrival of pilgrims would be on “Dhu al-Hijjah 12,” with the continued dispatch of pilgrims from Medina to Mecca during the first season according to the specified time periods. Guides inside the buses to ensure adherence to the specified routes and arrival at the scheduled time.

The document stressed the importance of immediately reporting emergency situations and addressing any operational developments until the service provided to pilgrims is completed, which enhances the efficiency of the dispatch system and raises the level of safety and organization during the Hajj season.

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