As pilgrims started trickling into this holy city Thursday, authorities here have put in place several measures to make their stay here comfortable. With the arrival of the first batches of pilgrims to Madina after completing the Haj rites with ease and peace of mind, the tempo of life in Madina is hotting up. Over 5,000 full-time and temporary employees have rolled up their sleeves to carry out the plans laid out upon the directives of Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Majed Bin Abdul Aziz, Emir of Madina Region and Chairman of the Central Haj Committee. Hasan Bin Hamid Al-Bakri, Director of the Haj Ministry branch in the Prophet's City, said all preparations have been completed with employees and equipment ready at all the entry points, stations, centers and committees affiliated to them. Al-Bakri pointed out that an operation plan has been drawn up aimed at upgrading the standard of services provided to pilgrims around the clock at all service locations including the ministry's branch, grouping centers, Prince Muhammad Bin Abdul Aziz International Airport, Yanbu Commercial Port, Al-Meeqat Mosque, follow-up and monitoring committees, Housing Affairs Administration, safety and emergency centers and at all locations frequented by pilgrims during their stay in Madina. The plan also aims at upgrading the level of coordination and cooperation and facilitating the exchange of statistical data and indices and field reports between the bodies and departments supervised by the ministry's branch and the related government departments. In preliminary statistics, more than 30,000 pilgrims of different nationalities had arrived in Madina by Thursday morning. Madina Traffic Department has set up seven new security checkpoints at the land entry and exit points, said Col. Siraj Abdul Rahman Kamal, Director of the Traffic Department in Madina Region. Col. Kamal said the objective is to prevent cars and buses from entering to the Central Area and causing traffic jams. Also, these checkpoints aim at sorting, distributing and guiding the pilgrims to the air and sea pilgrims' stations and that for overland pilgrims.
