MAKKAH: Saudi authorities have deployed more than 350,000 people from various sectors to serve the pilgrims during this Haj season, said Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Governor of Makkah Region, who is also Chairman of Haj Central Committee.
He also revealed that more than 1.64 million Haj pilgrims had arrived in the Kingdom as of Monday, the Saudi Press Agency, SPA, reported on Monday.
The Prince said that more than 329,000 people, who did not hold Haj permits, had been denied entry to the sacred places. The authorities blocked more than 144,000 vehicles for not holding permits, arrested fifteen people for different reasons and closed 181 fake Haj offices, he said.
Meanwhile the Saudi Red Crescent Authority has deployed more than 119 advanced rescue teams, covering the areas of Makkah, the Grand Holy Mosque and Holy Sites.
By the end of last month, the customer service centre at the ministry of Haj and Umrah received 34,397 calls on the unified number (8004304444) for callers inside the Kingdom and (920002814) for callers from inside and outside the country.
The centre revealed that it had also received 390 reports, 24,118 enquiries, 5,179 emails, and 3,297 complaints.
