RIYADH: The ongoing digital initiatives are accelerating operations and boosting service efficiency, steering the Grand Mosque toward becoming one of the world's smartest sites by 2030, SPA reported. The deputy CEO for Digital Transformation at the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of The Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, Dr. Mohammed Al-Saqr, stated that the authority's smart mobility platform has automated transit services and integrated electronic booking and payment, reducing pilgrim waiting times from around two hours three years ago to roughly nine minutes during the most recent Hajj season. Digital transformation has also modernized the Grand Mosque's iftar meal operations, which distribute over 38 million meals with transaction values nearing SR500 million. Through automation, integration with the national Ehsan charity platform, and third-party oversight, administrative clearance times have dropped from eight days to about eight minutes. Furthermore, the "Rafed" platform connects 18 government entities to address field reports, while an interactive digital mapping system handles roughly 600,000 cases annually, catering to nearly 10 percent of the six million annual visitors as the authority expands smart technology adoption across both holy mosques.