The security spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, Colonel Talal bin Abdulmohsen Al-Shalhoub, announced the successful implementation of the plan’s first phase to smoothly transport pilgrims to the holy sites.
He made his statement on Friday during the daily press conference for the Hajj season 2024, with the participation of official spokespersons for the Ministries of Hajj and Umrah, Health, Transport and Logistics.
Al-Shalhoub announced the completion of transporting pilgrims from the Grand Mosque to Mina, where they will stay overnight in preparation for their next stop at Arafat.
He indicated that 160 fake hajj campaigns were seized thus far, with 135,098 illegal vehicles were denied access.
Al-Shalhoub said that the number of non-residents of Makkah who were returned reached 250,381 people, and 6,135 were caught violating the city’s residency, work, and border security regulations.
“Saudi Arabia will always and firmly hinder all efforts to turn the holy sites during Hajj into an arena for demagogic chants that are far removed from the purposes of Sharia law, the holiness of the occasion and the spirituality of worship,” he said.
Al-Shalhoub added that any attempts to disrupt the security of pilgrims in any way will be dealt with firmly.
“The safety of the guests of God is a red line for the security authorities working in Hajj.”
Ayed Al-Ghuwaynem, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for Hajj Affairs, said that the most prominent infrastructure development projects in the holy sites include water networks and electrical power to improve services and raise the efficiency.
He added that the digital transformation processes led by Nusuk platform created a shift for pilgrims to access services, indicating that the number of readings of the response code printed on the Nusuk card exceeded 3 million readings.
Nusuk is the first-ever official planning, booking and experience platform for Hajj and Umrah.
The official spokesman for the Ministry of Health, Dr. Mohammad Al-Abdulali, reviewed the services and care provided by the health system, in integration with various agencies and entities, to the pilgrims during this year’s Hajj season.
He said that approximately 35,000 members of the healthcare system, along with approximately 5,500 volunteers, are responsible for providing services through 189 integrated hospitals, health centers, and mobile clinics.
“Fourteen health control centers in the Kingdom’s ports, 98 emergency centers, 32 mobile medical-supply trucks, and 12 laboratories are operational for pilgrims.”
Al-Abdulali added that there are 6,515 beds, including more than 800 intensive care beds and over 280 beds for heatstroke and heat exhaustion.
Aside from virtual clinics, there are seven ambulance planes, 729 ambulance cars and emergency and rapid response vehicles.
He said that 99 percent of domestic pilgrims had completed the health requirements for vaccinations.
“One-hundred and fifty permits were canceled to preserve the pilgrims’ public health, while others who adhered to the health requirements were enabled.”
The official spokesman for the transport and logistics system Saleh Al-Zwaid, stated that the Kingdom’s airports received, as of Thursday, more than 19 thousand flights from over 72 air carriers, coming from more than 90 countries.