Riyadh: Makkah is prepared for the last week of Ramadan when the number of pilgrims coming to the city is expected to peak.
Many Muslims are keen to do etikaf (isolation for worship) at the Grand Mosque during these final 10 days of fasting.
King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz said he was keen to be in Makkah during the last 10 days of Ramadan to personally follow up the services being provided to pilgrims and visitors.
Thousands of pilgrims from the UAE have been in Makkah and Madinah from the start of Ramadan.
Five pilgrims from the UAE spoke to Gulf News about their experience in Makkah.
Mohammad Al Mulla, Abdullah Al Shehi, Seif Al Zari, Jamal Al Mazroui and Ali Al Saeedi said they were having rewarding time spiritually.
The UAE citizens staying in Madinah had started to proceed to Makkah to spend the last 10 days of Ramadan in the Grand Mosque and perform the Eid Al Fitr prayer there. They were also to attend the conclusion of Quran recitation on night 28 of Ramadan, inside the Holy Haram.
Vice-President of the affairs of the Two Holy Harams, Dr Mohammad Al Khozaim, told Gulf News that the presidency's plan for pilgrims during Ramadan was to spread serenity and tranquillity among them, and provide them with all the services they needed to be able to dedicate their time to worship and supplication.
He said more than 1,756 male and female employees would serve the pilgrims, while more than 2,500 workers would help keep the Haram clean, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Director of Civil Defence Brigadier Jameel Arbaeen said more than 4,200 officers and privates from the Civil Defence equipped with 800 vehicles, water trucks and rescue devices, were working round-the-clock to ensure that Makkah was safe and that its residents and visitors were protected from any hazards.
Services
He said 300 officers would be ready to provide ambulance services in the Haram while 92 firefighting brigades had been posted to the central area around the Grand Mosque.
Brigadier Arbaeen said 300 motorcycles would be deployed for fast intervention, assisted by 10 evacuation units, in the case of an emergency.
He added that there were 23 units on patrol, and 110 units assigned to monitor and ensure safety measures in Makkah were observed.
The Directorate of the Security of the Haram said it had installed 757 thermal cameras to follow up the movements of pilgrims inside the Grand Mosque and that it had stationed 1,800 security men and 25 officers in the Haram to take care of security.
