Okaz/Saudi Gazette

MAKKAH — Nine bus stops in the Haram central area have been provided for pilgrims and visitors to the Grand Mosque in Makkah to ease traffic congestion during Ramadan.

There are 13 car parks, eight of them inside Makkah and five on the roads leading to it, for smooth flow of traffic.

Private vehicles are not allowed to enter Makkah.

Traffic patrols have been stationed at 34 places to monitor and control traffic.

To help pilgrims perform their Umrah rituals with ease and comfort, prayers are not being allowed in mataf (circumambulation area around the Kaaba) and mas’a (the stretch between Safa and Marwa hillocks) during the Taraweeh and Tahajjud congregations. The mataf area has been solely dedicated for Umrah pilgrims from Maghreb prayer until the end of the Taraweeh prayer.

During the last 10 days of Ramadan, mataf will be reserved for tawaf only till after Tahajud prayer.

Visitors are being prevented from squatting and praying on alleys and passages in the Grand Mosque so as to ease the movement of pilgrims.

The authorities are making sure that the gates of Haram, escalators, passages, the roads leading to the Grand Mosque and the tunnels are not blocked.

When the Grand Mosque is full to capacity a red light turns on alerting visitors and pilgrims not to enter the mosque. A green light indicates empty space inside the Grand Mosque.