Saudi Gazette report

MAKKAH — Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif, affirmed the leadership’s commitment to providing world-class services to pilgrims and emphasized the importance of coordination between Hajj service companies and security agencies to ensure the safety and security of worshippers.

Speaking during a visit to security and military leadership at the Ministry’s headquarters in Makkah on Wednesday, Prince Abdulaziz stressed that Hajj is a top priority for Saudi Arabia’s leadership, which has provided all necessary resources to ensure a smooth and secure pilgrimage for all.

He noted that integration between security, military, and service sectors led to successful crowd movement to Mina for the Day of Tarwiyah and the start of the ascent to Arafat.

He instructed authorities to maintain continuous oversight to preserve safety and order throughout the pilgrimage.

The minister praised the awareness and cooperation of pilgrims of all nationalities, attributing the success of the plans to their commitment to official guidance.

He also commended security personnel for their dedication and teamwork in serving the guests of God.

Director of Public Security and head of the Hajj Security Committee, Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al-Bassami, provided an operational briefing, confirming the readiness of all forces to continue implementing security phases to safeguard pilgrims.

In a separate meeting with heads of Hajj service companies, Prince Abdulaziz urged full adherence to official schedules for the movement to Arafat and for the stoning rituals, especially to avoid heat-related risks.

He later inspected the readiness of Arafat camps and reviewed enhanced services and infrastructure introduced for the season.

He also visited the Jabal Al-Rahmah shading project, which features innovative umbrellas designed to reduce heat stress. These high-spec materials reflect over 47% of solar radiation.

The interior minister reviewed the readiness of the Mashair Train and observed the transport of pilgrims to Arafat.

He was briefed on trip scheduling and crowd management strategies coordinated with relevant agencies.

He boarded one of the trains to Mina 3 (Jamarat station) to inspect the station's direct integration with the fourth floor of the Jamarat Bridge, enhancing safe and smooth pilgrim movement.

Prince Abdulaziz also visited security units managing crowd flows around train stations and reviewed the operational strategy of the Special Emergency Forces, who play a vital role in crowd control at the Jamarat site.

Their 2025 operational plan includes new infrastructure: six support buildings, 11 escalator buildings with 386 escalators, and advanced cooling systems to mitigate heat stress.

The interior minister toured the Hajj Operations Center in Mina, observing real-time security coordination and transport updates.

He was briefed on the latest smart technologies, including AI-powered platforms like “Midan,” “Sawaher,” “Baseer,” “Smart Cities,” and “Roya,” developed by the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), used to monitor, analyze, and enhance security performance.

He also reviewed key service performance indicators tracked by the Hajj Project Management Office under the Guests of God Service Program, which coordinates efforts across more than 50 government agencies.