Saudi Arabia installs 74 escalators in Mina to ease pilgrim movement during 2026 Hajj season

Saudi Arabia’s Kidana Development Company, a subsidiary of the Royal Commission for Mecca City and Holy Sites, has completed the installation of 74 escalators across key locations in Mina, as part of preparations to facilitate the movement of pilgrims during the 2026 Hajj season.

The project, implemented in three phases, saw 32 escalators installed in 2024, another 32 in 2025, and a further 10 added this year across eight new sites, the company said.

The initiative is designed to improve infrastructure and service quality at the holy sites, easing congestion and reducing physical strain on pilgrims, particularly the elderly and those with health conditions.

Authorities said the escalators would help shorten travel times between tent areas and essential service facilities, enhancing mobility efficiency and supporting safer, smoother crowd movement during peak periods of the pilgrimage.