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OKAZ

MAKKAH — The Emir of Makkah Province, Adviser to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Chairman of the Makkah Development Authority (MDA) Prince Khaled Al-Faisal has approved the operation plan for the Authority for the 1439H Haj season.

This year’s plan aims to raise the performance of projects supervised by the Authority in the Holy Sites, foremost of which is operation of the Mashaer Train, Jamarat Bridge, maintenance and operation of the restrooms in the Holy Sites, project for providing cool drinking water to the pilgrims, monitoring the efficiency of Haj services, setting up a reference database on Haj services and updating it periodically.

MDA’s official spokesman Eng. Jalal Bin Abduljaleel Kaaki said, “The plan was prepared under the supervision of the Emir of Makkah and direct follow-up by the Deputy Emir. It will be in conformity with the new projects carried out by the Authority this year in the Holy Sites, apart from the projects carried out earlier.”

He said the Authority supervises the mechanism to operate the projects to ensure providing the pilgrims with integrated services. In its operation, the plan relies on continuous coordination with all the related authorities, especially the security sectors.

The Secretary General of the Authority and Supervisor General of the Haj Works Plan Dr. Hisham Bin Abdulrahman Al-Faleh is keen to ensure a collective effort of all the related authorities with joint coordination to ensure success of the Haj works, God willing, Kaaki said.

Kaaki added that the Authority has mobilized all its administrative and technical personnel totaling 14,000, apart from 400 machines, to carry out the operation plan. Specific mechanisms have been set to carry out the operation plan on the ground.

The operation plan this year comprises supervision of the projects for services to be provided to pilgrims in the Holy Sites.

Foremost among these is supervising operation of the Mashaer Train, expected to transport over 350,000 pilgrims during the Tafweej Plan on the 8th of Dhul Hijja from Mina to Arafat Holy Sites and then back to Mina during the Nafra of pilgrims from Arafat. Meanwhile, the total number of pilgrims expected to be transported by the Mashaer Train during the Tashreeq days exceeds two million, Kaaki said.

He added that the Jamarat Bridge Plan focuses on the facility’s readiness to receive pilgrims during the days for lapidating the Jamarat, aside from maintenance and operation of the projects linked to and leading to the Jamarat Bridge. This also includes the projects affiliated to the Jamarat Bridge and the readiness of their infrastructure.

The plan also includes ensuring the readiness of the restrooms in the Holy Sites. Some 36,000 restrooms will be ready for use by pilgrims during Haj.

Through its operation plan, the Authority supervises the project for providing cool drinking water to the pilgrims in the Grand Mosque and the Holy Sites. Some 600 water coolers distributed at various points in the Holy Sites will provide the pilgrims with cool water via the water cooling and sterilization plants.

Suqya Project’s administration supervises these water coolers and their maintenance so that they are ready for use this Haj. Their production capacity is estimated at 700 cubic meters per hour.

In another development, Prince Khaled met on Thursday at the Emirate headquarters in Jeddah with the Assistant Minister of Interior for Operation Affairs, Supervisor of Public Security and Chairman of the Haj Security Committee Gen. Said Bin Abdullah Al-Qahtani, accompanied by several security commanders participating in the Haj season this year.

During the meeting, Prince Khaled stressed the importance of readiness of all sectors to carry out their plans for this year’s Haj with the aim of providing the best services to the pilgrims since their arrival in the Kingdom and until their safe return to their countries.

Prince Khaled lauded the role of all the government and private agencies, especially the security sectors that have mobilized all their human potentials and machinery to serve the pilgrims. He praised the role security men are carrying out, making them the pride of every Saudi.

Prince Khaled was briefed on the plans of the various security agencies during the current Haj season.

Gen. Al-Qahtani confirmed the readiness of all security sectors to serve pilgrims and secure their safety. He thanked the Emir for his directives and continuous follow up of Haj and Umrah works.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, Prince Khaled launched the 11th edition of “Haj is worship and civilized conduct” campaign under the motto “Haj is a message of peace”.

He reaffirmed that the approval of King Salman to establish the Royal Commission for Makkah and the Holy Sites under the chairmanship of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman reflects the leaderships’ keenness to develop Makkah and the Holy Sites and provide the best services to those visiting them.

Prince Khaled described the establishment of the royal commission as a major developmental event in the region. He said following the royal commission’s first Board of Directors meeting he is “optimistic about the future of Makkah and the Holy Sites”.

Asked about the attempts of some quarters to politicize Haj, Prince Khaled said: “The reply to the campaigns being waged against the Kingdom to distort its image is by the actions and deeds of the Kingdom in serving the Guests of Allah.”