RIYADH: Five Saudi ministries jointly announced on Wednesday the country is ready to host this year’s Hajj, in which 1.5 million pilgrims from around the world are expected to attend and perform the sacred rituals obligatory for all able Muslims.
The Kingdom has completed extensive preparations that include artificial intelligence technologies, full 5G coverage and more than 52,000 health practitioners ready to provide treatment.
Minister of Media Salman Al-Dosari confirmed on Wednesday at a government press conference held in Riyadh that the Hajj system is managed with precise plans that rely on analyzing movement and density through modern technologies enhanced with AI.
He also noted that the Kingdom now has 5G network coverage across the entirety of the holy sites.
Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh Al-Jasser explained that more than 1.5 million pilgrims from outside the Kingdom are expected to attend in total, with more than 3 million seats provided through six airports connecting Saudi Arabia to more than 300 airports worldwide via more than 104 air carriers.
Al-Dosari explained that the Ministry of Islamic Affairs has prepared more than 20,000 mosques and provided over two million copies of the Qur’an as a gift from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
He highlighted the Makkah Route initiative which is in its eighth year and allows pilgrims to go through visa checks in their airport of departure in 16 countries.
Al-Dosari said that more than 1.2 million pilgrims have benefited from the program since its launch.
He also reported that the Ministry of Commerce has carried out more than 33,000 inspection tours, that temporary lodging licenses have been approved, and that more than 2.3 million beds have been provided in Makkah and Madinah.
Al-Dosari concluded by stating that more than 150 media outlets and 3,000 journalists are covering this year’s Hajj.
Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah confirmed that the Saudi leadership prioritizes serving pilgrims and mobilizes all resources to facilitate their journey, noting that more than 860,000 pilgrims have arrived so far.
In addition, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs is preparing to host more than 2,500 pilgrims, including families of martyrs, scholars and Islamic figures from more than 100 countries.
He explained that direct booking without intermediaries has been made available to more than 30 Saudi companies from 126 countries, with integrated coordination among more than 60 government and operational entities through more than 600 action plans.-Arab News
