Ministry of Hajj & Umrah launches second pilgrims grouping simulation

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah started on Tuesday the implementation of its second simulation of transporting and grouping pilgrims at the holy sites

MEKKAH, SAUDI ARABIA, May 23, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ — The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, represented by the Ministry’s Agency for Hajj Affairs, started on Tuesday the implementation of its second simulation of transporting and grouping pilgrims at the holy sites, including the grouping of more than 3,000 buses within a six-stage grouping process.

The launch took place in collaboration with all Hajj security and regulatory authorities, along with more than 10,000 participants in the framework of the ministry’s proactive efforts to prepare for the 1444 AH Hajj season.

His Excellency the Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, explained during the inauguration of the grouping simulation, that this step confirms the ministry’s readiness for the 2023 Hajj season, while it reflects the general preparedness for sudden events of crisis.

He also confirmed that the ministry seeks through carrying out this experiment to test the technical systems’ efficiency in supporting both grouping and transportation, their integration with the infrastructure, the comprehensiveness of transporting and grouping of pilgrims, and raising the productivity of workers.

The test, which lasts for 15 hours under the supervision of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in collaboration with all security and regulatory agencies involved in this year’s Hajj, underwent a simulation for a simultaneous grouping of 3,000 shuttle and conventional buses, operated by 57 transport companies.

A total of 37 routes were assigned to the vehicles in accordance with the operational capacity, while 107 service offices and 19 companies are set to provide field services at the holy sites.

The simulation encompasses a total of six groupings as follows: dispersals from the residences in Mecca to Mina, movement to Mount Arafa, or ascending Mount Arafa from the valley of Mina, descending to the plain of Muzdalifah, returning from Muzdalifah to Mina, and finally heading to the Grand Mosque of Mecca to perform the farewell circumambulation.

The simulation’s implementation allows the ministry to raise a state of maximum alert at the holy sites and enables participating teams to execute the tasks entrusted to them with high efficiency and in accordance with internationally approved safety procedures.

The process also ensures an adequate presence of those tasked with serving the guests of Allah at the holy sites, adherence to grouping times, the harmony of roles carried out by all involved parties and increasing the quality of both operational and organizational processes for dispatching buses and transporting passengers with ease between the holy sites.

The first simulation was conducted three months ago, during which 1,300 buses were dispatched within a timeframe of roughly three and a half hours.

The previous simulation also included four operational stages as follows: ascending Mount Arafa, descending to the plain of Muzdalifah, returning from Muzdalifah to Mina, and finally returning to Mount Arafa.

Abdulrahman Abed
Legends Agency
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