How Saudi Arabia is shielding pilgrims from extreme Hajj heat

Dubai: As more than 1.5 million pilgrims gather in Mecca ahead of this year’s Hajj amid soaring summer temperatures, Saudi Arabia is increasingly relying on large-scale cooling and shading infrastructure designed to protect worshippers from extreme heat and improve movement across the holy sites.

What may appear to pilgrims as simple shaded walkways has become part of a much broader engineering effort aimed at reducing heat stress during one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings, SPA reported. 

In recent years, authorities have expanded extensive shading projects across high-density pedestrian routes linking the holy sites, installing modern canopies that shield pilgrims from direct sunlight and help ease physical exhaustion during long walks between rituals.

The heat mitigation strategy has also included the use of specialised reflective paving materials that absorb less heat than conventional surfaces, helping lower ground temperatures during peak daytime hours.

Additional shaded rest areas have been introduced across crowded zones, allowing pilgrims to pause, cool down and recover before continuing their journey.

Beyond physical shade, Saudi authorities have expanded high-pressure misting systems and increased vegetation cover in heavily congested areas in an effort to reduce ambient temperatures and improve air quality.

Saudi Arabia has intensified preparations for this year’s pilgrimage as temperatures continue to rise across the region, with forecasters warning of intense daytime heat during the peak days of Hajj.