MAKKAH: The Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques announced it is ready to receive the first worshippers of this year’s Umrah season.
The presidency’s official spokesman, Maher Al-Zahrani, said it had 5,000 manual and 3,000 electric wheelchairs on standby, along with staff to operate them, to ensure a smooth passage for worshippers requiring assistance. These wheelchairs can be reserved through the Tanaqol app.
Trained staff will also be on duty overseeing spaces and guiding visitors to the correct spots for prayer. Doors will be manned, and visitors will be assisted throughout to allow easy entry and exit.
The presidency promises to provide vital services in the northern expansion of the Grand Mosque ranging from the filling of Zamzam water containers, controlling of air conditioning, and providing ample shelving to store copies of the Qur’an. The presidency is also in charge of monitoring the audio and lighting systems, cleanliness of the lavatories, and operating escalators to transport worshippers, especially the elderly.
Al-Zahrani said: “The women’s department will also help with organizing the entry and exit of worshipers to the Grand Mosque and provide gifts to them such as copies of the Holy Qur’an and bottles of Zamzam water, in addition to providing copies of (the) Qur’an in Braille to those who require them.”
He indicated that there are 200 qualified supervisors on the ground who will monitor the spaces and 4,000 workers tasked with washing and cleaning the Grand Mosque 10 times a day. This is in addition to having 800 workers on the ground to distribute 4,500 bottles of Zamzam water to worshipers throughout the Grand Mosque. It is estimated that nearly 500,000 liters of Zamzam water is consumed at the site during Umrah every day.