Wednesday, July 25, 2018

By Ibrahim Alawi

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Deputy Emir of Makkah Prince Abdullah Bin Bandar has opened a center to receive Haj pilgrims at Al-Nuwariyyah along the Haramain Expressway. The center has a capacity to receive about 300 pilgrim coaches an hour.

The center was prepared in about 75 days to facilitate the passage of the guests of God to and from Makkah.

Built on an area of 539,000 square meters, the center has five main buildings, which include the offices of the Ministry of Haj and Umrah and the General Syndicate of Cars, a welcome lounge, a gift center, toilets and other utilities.

The center will reduce the waiting time for pilgrim coaches at checkpoints.

The deputy emir also inspected the center where gifts will be presented to the pilgrims. He chaired the first meeting of the executive committee set up by Makkah Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal within the preparations to provide excellent services to the pilgrims.

Bassam Ghulman, the official in charge of transportation in the Ministry of Haj and Umrah. said 18,000 buses owned by 35 national transport companies will provide transportation to about 2 million pilgrims between Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites.

He said the buses will have special seats for the elderly and pilgrims with special needs.

Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Nayyaf Sultan Al-Ruwais, deputy commander of the passport police, warned the citizens and expatriates against providing transport to illegal pilgrims and said anyone caught doing this would be put behind bars for six months and fined SR50,000 per pilgrim.

"Citizens and expatriates should never dare to provide transport to pilgrims without Haj permits," he said.

Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz Bin Saud, who is the chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee, has asked all concerned security agencies not to allow gas cylinders for cooking purposes in the holy sites during the days of Haj.

He directed the Civil Defense to check all tents to make sure that no cooking gas is used.

Source: http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/539819/SAUDI-ARABIA/Nuwariyyah