MAKKAH — Minister of Haj Bandar Hajjar has said that there will be an increase in the space allotted for the housing of pilgrims in Arafat and Mina during this year's Haj season. The increase will not be more than 25 percent compared to the previous year, he said. He said the increase is a reflection of the decision to reduce the number of pilgrims from each country by 20 percent due to the expansion projects at the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah. He added that in the past, a certain area was assigned for each pilgrim in Arafat and Mina and there is no intention to change this mechanism. Hajjar pointed out that there were minor violations committed by some Umrah companies this year. However, these violations did not warrant any penalties or the closure of any companies, he said. He added that the ministry would move to its new buildings within five months. The new complex contains nine buildings and the employees will initially be stationed in three of them until the rest are completed. He said government bodies entrusted with the responsibility of transporting pilgrims on the Mashair Metro have set up plans to ensure the smooth facilitation of their duties. This will avoid the crowding that occurred during past Haj seasons, he said. Meanwhile, Hajjar made inspection visits to various Tawafa establishments in Makkah on Sunday and discussed preparations for receiving pilgrims for this year's Haj.
