By Badea Abu Al-Naja
Saudi Gazette
MAKKAH — All public facilities and municipal services are ready to receive hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and worshippers who will converge on the holy city to perform Umrah and offer special prayers during Ramadan, said Makkah Mayor Dr. Osama Al-Bar.
"The municipality had readied all public services to welcome pilgrims and worshippers much before the advent of Ramadan," the mayor said. "We have set up a number of field teams to meet the requirements of pilgrims throughout the season," he added.
The municipality has readied public parking areas around the Grand Mosque and at the entrances of Makkah, where small vehicles of pilgrims will be parked. Shuttle services have been arranged to transport pilgrims from the parking areas to the Grand Mosque.
Vast areas for parking have been readied along Jeddah-Makkah Expressway, Makkah-Madinah Expressway, Makkah-Taif Road, Makkah-Laith Road and Sail Road, in addition to existing car parks in Rusaifa, Shuhada, Qashla, Aziziya and King Abdulaziz Road in Mina.
"We have made all arrangements to receive vehicles in these parking areas, which have been illuminated and provided necessary security," the mayor said.
The municipality has also established toilets for men and women at these parking places as well as shaded resting places.
A committee has been set up to monitor the operation of the parking areas, Al-Bar said.
Apart from the mayoralty officials, the panel includes representatives from the Traffic Department and the Transport Ministry.
"We have given top priority to these parking areas as they play a significant role in ensuring the smooth management of Umrah pilgrimage in Ramadan," the mayor said.
The parking areas outside the city limits will help reduce congestion inside Makkah to a great extent, he added.
