HAJ operations are moving into the final stages. Mina is now practically deserted with pilgrims having left the holy site by Sunday evening, completing the three-day ritual of stoning the devil at Jamarat. If standing at Arafat represents the essence of the Haj, Jamarat was, at one time, the yardstick by which the whole world measured the success or failure of Haj operations. Until recently, the Jamarat posed the most formidable challenge, in terms of crowd control and organization, to the Saudi authorities involved at various levels of Haj operations. Given the limited space and the number of pilgrims (3,161,573 from 189 countries this year, eight percent more than last year), stoning had always been the most dangerous part of the pilgrimage. But the construction of a five-story bridge at Jamarat has made all this a thing of the past. Human ingenuity and the willingness of the Saudi authorities to invest heavily to enhance the comfort and safety of pilgrims has made it possible for so many more pilgrims to take part in the stone-throwing ritual without endangering each other. In the past, panic sometimes ensued when a pilgrim fell on the bridge, and others tried to escape the push of the oncoming crowd. One tragedy occurred after pieces of luggage spilled from moving buses in front of one of the entrances to the bridge, causing pilgrims to trip. However, the expansion of the Jamarat bridge and newer and more efficient methods of crowd control have all but eliminated the chances for such mishaps. Safety in the holy sites has been improving steadily. Studies are conducted on a regular basis to ensure that nothing goes amiss during the peak of pilgrimage. The result can be seen in all fields connected with Haj operations including health care for pilgrims. The Ministry of Health monitors and follows up the health of pilgrims in the field and through its control center. Transportation of pilgrims from Mina to Arafat is becoming smoother and less time consuming.
This year large numbers of pilgrims preferred to walk from Mina to Arafat using pedestrian pathways in view of new regulations which banned vehicles with a capacity of 25 passengers or less. Four pedestrian pathways and seven roads for vehicles and buses were used for transporting pilgrims. A larger fleet of helicopters was deployed in security operations this year. The number of helicopters now stands at 19. They include S-92 and Schweizer S-434 helicopters that carry out reconnaissance operations. Civil Defense helicopters transmit aerial pictures of the movement of pilgrims to and from the Grand Mosque so that authorities can monitor and deal with any problems that might occur.
Helicopters are also used in firefighting in crowded areas, such as tents and warehouses, in addition to rescue operations and airlifting of casualties to hospitals. They also help evacuate pilgrims trapped in dangerous or isolated areas. Congratulations to all those who strove hard to make this year's Haj a resounding success.
