JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques is wasting no opportunity to cater for the large numbers of people expected to perform Umrah during Ramadan.
The presidency’s plans include the use of about 10 golf buggies to help those with special needs, as well as the elderly and ailing worshippers, to comfortably perform Umrah rituals.
Each of the buggies can carry up to 12 elderly and people with special needs, Jihad Al-Otaibi, public relations manager at the Grand Mosque, told Arab News.
Six of the vehicles have already started operating, and the presidency will add four more to help serve the elderly, ailing and those with disabilities during Ramadan, which usually witnesses high numbers of Umrah performers.
Al-Otaibi said that the service previously had been halted halt due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Last August, the presidency provided 25 new paths at the Mataf courtyard in the Grand Mosque in Makkah, including four for the elderly and people with disabilities. The move was part of a bigger plan to manage crowds amid the pandemic.
Nizar Alaa El-Din, assistant undersecretary general of the presidency for grouping affairs and crowd management, said that the presidency manages groups of pilgrims “based on many factors and objectives.”
The presidency used its considerable experience to coordinate with other parties and ensure effective communication with all groups working in the Grand Mosque, he added.
El-Din said that the presidency has benefited from numerous studies and approaches that have helped to provide smooth and organized entry and exit points at the holy site.
Speaking to the Saudi Press Agency, Adel bin Obaid Al-Ahmadi, the presidency’s vice president for public relations, institutional communication and community partnerships, said that the presidency is keen to facilitate the movement of pilgrims, especially the elderly and those with special needs, within the courtyards of the holy mosques.
Al-Ahmadi said that service points staffed by qualified presidency employees have been set up to help worshippers from the time they approach the Grand Mosque to the end of their Umrah.
Health and precautionary measures, including cleaning and social distancing, will help protect worshippers from illness.
The presidency has also intensified its efforts in preparation for the month of Ramadan, which normally sees increasing numbers of Umrah performers, Al-Ahmadi said.
Golf buggies rolled out as KSA steps up Umrah planning
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Golf buggies rolled out as KSA steps up Umrah planning
- Each of the buggies can carry up to 12 elderly and people with special needs
- Six of the vehicles have already started operating
Pioneering electric bus service takes to the road in Makkah
- The bus rapid transit project, a system designed to have higher capacity and reliability than conventional bus services, is said to be the first of its kind in the Kingdom
- The vehicles operate in dedicated bus lanes within a network that includes two main bus stations and 11 stops along the route connecting them
MAKKAH: A pioneering electric bus service took to the road in Makkah this week.
Electromin, the developer and operator of the service in partnership with Umm Al-Qura for Development and Construction, said it is expected to serve more than 125 million passengers over the next 15 years, while cutting carbon dioxide emissions by more than 31,500 tonnes compared with traditional vehicles.
The bus rapid transit project, a system designed to have higher capacity and reliability than conventional bus services, is said to be one of the first of its kind in the Kingdom. It was inaugurated on Wednesday by Amr Al-Dabbagh, chairperson of Al-Dabbagh Group, Samir Nawar, managing director of Petromin, and Yasser Abu Ateeq, CEO of Umm Al-Qura.
Electromin, a subsidiary of Petromin specializing in energy and mobility solutions, said the new service, which forms part of the Masar Destination mixed-use real estate development project in Makkah, is one the first transport networks of its kind in the country, and represents a significant shift toward a cleaner, more efficient urban transport model.
It operates in dedicated bus lanes, connecting key hubs within Masar and providing safe, reliable and environmentally friendly transportation for residents and visitors, the company added. The network includes two main bus stations and 11 stops along the route connecting them. It has been designed to serve more than 5 million visitors and pilgrims annually, and to be easily accessible to all users.
Operators say the service is designed as a foundation for Makkah’s future transportation system, through its integration with the broader Masar project, which includes pedestrian walkways, more than 5,000 parking spaces, metro services and other urban infrastructure.
