Pilgrims will start moving to the tent city of Mina Thursday evening in preparation for Haj, which culminates with the standing on Arafat, Saturday. All arrangements have been completed in Mina, which is expected to receive more than 2.5 million pilgrims this year. More than 1.7 million pilgrims have arrived from abroad, out of an expected 1.8 million, in addition to between 700,000 and 800,000 coming from within the Kingdom. Crown Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior, said Tuesday that the Kingdom would use “all means” to ensure a peaceful pilgrimage. “We are ready to face all events, whatever they are ... our means are peaceful ... except for those who want to create mischief, whom we will prevent with all means,” the Crown Prince told a news conference in Makkah after an inspection tour to the holy sites wherein he reviewed security and other arrangements for pilgrims. The General Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) has forecast fine and dry weather in Makkah and the holy sites for most of the Haj. There is unlikely to be heavy rain and flash floods. Dr. Saad Al-Mehlifi, Assistant President of the PME, said that there are no indications of extraordinary weather conditions at this stage. The skies will be clear but there is a possibility of cloud formation and light rain in Taif and parts of the holy sites during the days of Tashreeq. The highest average temperature will likely be between 35 and 38 degrees Celsius and the lowest average will be between 21 and 24 degrees Celsius. The speed of the surface winds will be between 15 and 30 kilometers per hour. This month, pilgrims will have full access to a $1.8 billion railway, which was launched at only 30 percent of its capacity last year, to ease pilgrim transport between the holy sites. The Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) has granted an operating and safety license to the Mashair Train, which transports Haj pilgrims between Arafat, Muzdalifa and Mina. The Mashair Train, which will operate at full capacity during this year's Haj season, will transport 72,000 pilgrims per hour, the world's highest train capacity. Meanwhile, the Emergency and Field Medicine Committee of the Ministry of Health has prepared 135 ambulances supported by 350 doctors and technicians to provide the best medical services for pilgrims in the holy sites. Dr. Tariq Bin Salim Al-Arnoos, Director General of the Emergency Department of the Ministry of Health and the Committee's Chairman, said that the workforce has completed arrangements at emergency centers at Jamarat Bridge, noting that there are 17 emergency centers that are provided with 130 doctors and nurses to work round-the-clock. Over 80 mini-ambulances equipped as mobile intensive care units will treat pilgrims in the holy sites. These emergency and field medicine ambulances will act as intensive care units to treat injured persons and transport them to hospitals. The mini-ambulances can reach crowded areas rapidly and could save many lives in the event of a stampede. There are also five regular ambulances to transport patients from health centers and hospitals in Makkah. The holy sites are staffed with 350 doctors and technicians who are trained to respond to emergencies speedily. Dr. Al-Arnoos said that emergency sections in Makkah and other holy sites hospitals are ready and the staff is fully trained. Altogether Haj security plans have detailed 40 sorting locations for medical evacuation at Jamarat Bridge. These include six buildings in the “experimental housing” project, tent camps in Al-Mu'aissim, Arafat, and Muzdalifa and 33 seasonal units leading into Makkah. “We are ready to cope with all probable hazards including that of flood. Monitoring systems, data processing and Geographic Information Systems will be used to analyze all potential threats,” said Maj. Gen. Adel Zamzami, Director of Civil Defense in Makkah region. Security forces have started the implementation of the Haj traffic plan to facilitate the movement of pilgrims in Makkah and the holy sites. More than 17,000 traffic personnel supported by 2,400 vehicles have been deployed in the holy sites. Assistant Commander of Haj Security Forces for Traffic Affairs Major General Suleiman Bin Abdulrahman Al-Ajlan said the third phase of the shuttle transport has been implemented this year. He said Iranian pilgrims will be transported by 1,200 buses and non-Arab African pilgrims will be transported by 1,750 buses. Vehicles with a capacity of less than 25 passengers have been banned from transporting pilgrims. Haj workers to be monitored The Control and Investigation Board (CIB) has formed field teams to monitor the performance and discipline of government employees working in Haj, informed sources told Okaz/Saudi Gazette, Wednesday. The field teams have already started carrying out inspections and are expected to file reports to officials concerned. Meanwhile, the CIB teams are looking into a complaint against a Tawafa establishment. The complaint was lodged by the mutawwif Ghalib Mustafa accusing the Board of Directors of the Tawafa establishment of subletting parts of the camps handed to it by the Ministry of Haj to other pilgrims. __
