Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary said that the Kingdom won’t tolerate any unauthorized pilgrims disrupting the comfort of other pilgrims, and that the "No Hajj without a permit" campaign will be intensified.

He made the remarks while addressing a joint government press conference to explain the elaborate Hajj preparations in Riyadh on Monday. It was also attended by Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, Minister of Transport and Logistics Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser, and Minister of Health Fahd Al-Jalajel.

Al-Dossary said that Saudi Vision 2030 is based on three detailed objectives to serve the guests of God: facilitating the hosting of more pilgrims and access to the Two Holy Mosques; providing high-quality services to Hajj and Umrah pilgrims; and enriching religious and cultural experience of the pilgrims.

The minister pointed out that the royal directives have been issued to host 1,000 pilgrims from the families of martyrs in Palestine and 1,300 pilgrims from 100 countries under the "Guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques" program, which is organized by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance.

Regarding preparations, Al-Dossary stated that the Ministry of Interior is fulfilling its role in the security and organizational arena through the "No Hajj without a permit" campaign, to preserve the sanctity of the site and ensure the safety of pilgrims in addition to enable them to perform the rituals in an orderly and peaceful environment.

He stated that the Ministry of Islamic Affairs has prepared approximately 25,000 mosques and prayer halls in Makkah and Madinah, along the roads leading to Hajj, land entry points, the holy sites, and neighborhood mosques. It has also secured the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' gift of 2.5 million copies of the Holy Qur’an, which will be distributed at land, sea, and air ports. Approximately 1.3 million identification cards containing QR codes for the electronic library have also been distributed.

Regarding volunteers, the minister indicated that the target for this year is 25,000 male and female volunteers, through the efforts of the National Center for Non-Profit Sector Development. Regarding water services, the system produces and transports more than 1.2 million cubic meters of water daily to meet peak demand during the Hajj season.

The transportation networks extend over 1,300 kilometers. The water system also conducts more than 4,000 laboratory tests daily to ensure water quality and safety, with a staff of more than 2,000 specialized Saudi technicians and engineers working around the clock.

Al-Dossary said that the Ministry of Commerce has intensified its inspection of markets and vital facilities in Makkah and Medina through more than 11,000 field visits to ensure the compliance of facilities and the availability of food supplies for pilgrims.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Municipality and Housing has mobilized more than 22,000 personnel along with 980 vehicles, and 177 shelters.

The conference coincided with the approaching countdown to the Hajj season, as pilgrims continue to flock to the Holy Capital from all corners of the globe to perform the Hajj pilgrimage.