Pilgrims begin moving from Madinah to Makkah for Haj

Riyadh: Saudi authorities helping to manage the influx of people for this year's Haj began helping to transport some 750,000 pilgrims from Madinah to Makkah this week.

The wave of pilgrims making the journey from Madinah to Makkah, where the Haj rituals begin, was expected to reach its peak yesterday, the last day pilgrims would be able to remain in Madinah under the Saudi Haj authorities' regulations.

Journey

Mohammad Al Bijawi, director of the Ministry of Haj branch in Madinah, told Arab News that thousands of pilgrims, who have travelled from countries including the UAE, began their journey to Makkah on Tuesday.

He added that the journey was undertaken in line with a plan being prepared by government and private agencies responsible for serving pilgrims.

"Madinah will see on Thursday the biggest seasonal grouping process for pilgrims. A convoy of more than 800 buses carrying more than 35,000 pilgrims will leave to Makkah on a daily basis from 2pm to 11pm," Al Bijawi said.

Unfortunately the influx would not include a large number of people turned away at a checkpoint between Makkah and Jeddah.

Security authorities said they had been forced to turn back people who had been wishing to perform Haj but had not obtained Haj permits.

Major Khalid Radad Al Harthy, Assistant commander of Shimaisy passports, said a number of vehicles carrying people trying to perform Haj without the appropriate permits had been seized.

Major Al Harthy said a number of drivers intentionally tried to transport people who did not have the appropriate work or residence permits. Security forces dealt with such drivers seriously, he said.

The commander also said some drivers attempted to transport women who had violated residence rules, many of whom had no identity documents.

The drivers attempted to tell checkpoint security staff that the women were members of their family, but such crimes were now being uncovered by the passport department's new sections staffed by women, he said.

Train transportation

Meanwhile, in a separate development, the Ministry of Haj distributed on Tuesday the train tickets to local Haj companies licensed to operate during this year's season.

Sa'ad Bin Jameel Al Quarshi, chairman of Haj and Umrah Committee at Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), said the new metro train, which will operate for the first time during the Haj, would help take 4,000 buses off the road.

Al Quarshi said the number of pilgrims who had registered and received permits on Tuesday had reached around 180,000.