Gulf | Saudi Arabia
800 cameras help control crowd in Grand Mosque
About 800 cameras have been installed in the Grand Mosque in Makkah to monitor the millions of pilgrims arriving to complete Haj.
- By Abdul Rahman Shaheen, Correspondent
- Published: 23:39 December 10, 2008
- Image Credit: AP
- A Saudi policeman stands guard at the place where thousands of pilgrims cast stones at a pillar, symbolising devil, the last rite of the annual Haj in Mina near Makkah, yesterday.
Makkah: About 800 cameras have been installed in the Grand Mosque in Makkah to monitor the millions of pilgrims arriving to complete Haj.
These cameras will help take appropriate crowd management decisions, said Major General Yousuf Mattar, Commander of the Haram Security Forces and Supervisor of the Joint Forces.
Maj Gen Mattar said 6,000 security men from four security agencies are working together to secure the routes for nearly 2.5 million pilgrims, who are expected to leave the holy sites after performing the farewell Tawaf (Tawaf Al Wada'a).
He said there are alternative emergency plans ready in coordination with the Jamarat Security commanders and the Command and Control Centre.
He said the field forces in the Haram area have been drawn from the joint forces comprising the National Guard, Special Emergency Force, Civil Defence Forces, the Haram Police and Security Force.
The Haram Security comes under a central command at the Central Operations Room inside the Grand Mosque. The forces will function from early dawn taking field positions at points for directing the crowds on the peripheries of the courtyards of the Grand Mosque.
Maj Gen Mattar said they will ensure the proper management of the situation through the 800 cameras fitted at different locations in the Grand Mosque.
Maj Gen Mattar said: "There is direct coordination with the Command and Control Room in Mina. The capacity of the Jamarat Bridge is 300,000 pilgrims per hour and the capacity of the Tawaf area is less than this.
"Therefore, we will sort out those leaving through 137 points distributed at the gates of Al Masjid Al Haram. Details about the pilgrims performing Tawaf will be displayed on LCD screens in the courtyards of the Haram.
"These screens will inform the pilgrims about the possibility of going for Tawaf or not. Pilgrims will also be able to perform Tawaf on the first and second floors.
"Also, they will be able to use escalators to reach the roof and perform Tawaf from there."
Speaking on the alternative plans in case of crises, he said, "We hope the pilgrims will perform the farewell Tawaf according to plan without the need for resorting to alternatives.
"However, we have taken into account any emergency and an alternative emergency plan has been laid down for any contingency."
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