Some 8,000 domestic pilgrims will be accommodated in new buildings in Mina, for which each pilgrim will be charged SR5,000. The decision came after 14 days of negotiations among the Ministry of Haj, domestic pilgrim service companies and the company in charge of the Mina foothills project. It was agreed that buildings would be rented to 32 Tawafa domestic pilgrim companies for a period of two years, with four of the buildings being rented for SR30 million a year, 50 percent of which is to be paid as a down-payment by Nov. 15. The two-week-long discussions under Ministry of Haj supervision saw four groups representing 32 companies, and frequently reached the brink of collapse before the ministry finally managed to find an agreement satisfactory to all parties. The Tawafa establishments had originally refused to rent the buildings as it would cause prices to climb to SR5,000 per pilgrim. The Tawafa companies said this would lead to a rise in fees for the services they provide. Saad Al-Quraishi, Deputy Chairman of the Haj and Umrah Committees in the Makkah and Jeddah chambers of commerce and industry, said the SR5,000 rent pilgrims would pay would have an impact on fees for Haj services this year. The buildings, which will house 8,000 pilgrims, will be supervised and monitored by the Ministry of Haj. Some 240,000 domestic pilgrims will be accommodated in tents, according to Al-Quraishi. – Okaz/SG __
