Saudi Arabia reveals Hajj 2019 operations plan

Makkah Region Development Authority (MRDA) has recently approved its operation plan for the upcoming Hajj 2019 season, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

“The plan has been prepared under the supervision of Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, emir of Makkah Province and Chairman of MRDA, and direct follow up by Prince Badr Bin Sultan, deputy emir of Makkah Province,” Jalal Bin Abduljaleel Kaaki, spokesperson from MRDA, said.

Kaaki said that the authority has mobilized all its administrative and technical cadres totaling 14,000 employees along with 400 machines for carrying out the operation plan. 

A special mechanism was laid down to carry out the plan on the ground and to ensure that all the projects are ready to provide their services to the pilgrims.

“Our objective is to make these projects conform to the new ones carried out by the MRDA this year in the holy sites, apart from those carried out in the past,” Kaaki added.

Among the projects that will come into service this year is the pedestrian bridge project opposite King Abdullah Road in Mina; a project extending Road 206 and linking it with Road 204; setting up three slopes in Mina; construction of multi-storey residential and administrative buildings for Al-Mashaer Train operators; a project for preparing the mountainous site east of Mina; setting up of the infrastructure project around the Al-Mashaer Train stations in Muzdalifah and Arafat; and a project for assembling and operating 2,400 mobile readymade restroom units in Mina.

One of the key aspects of the plan is supervising operation of the Al-Mashaer Train, which during the grouping plan, is expected to transport over 360,000 pilgrims from Mina to Arafat and then during the Nafrah from Arafat back to Mina.

Meanwhile for the Jamarat Complex, the operation plan focuses on the preparations for receiving pilgrims during the lapidation days (stoning of the Jamarat). Aside from this, there is maintenance and operation of the projects linked with the complex.

The plan also includes ensuring that the restrooms in the holy sites are ready for use. They are in the form of 484 complexes containing over 30,000 toilets ready for use by the pilgrims.

The plan also focusses on the treatment of leftovers from slaughtering of sacrificial animals and converting them to organic fertilizer. It aims to protect the environment from foul odors, bacteria and groundwater pollution due to burial of leftovers from slaughtered animals.