{"id":1010,"date":"2025-06-03T06:24:29","date_gmt":"2025-06-03T06:24:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/?p=1010"},"modified":"2025-06-03T06:24:29","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T06:24:29","slug":"saudi-arabia-announces-full-operational-readiness-as-millions-begin-hajj-pilgrimage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/2025\/06\/03\/saudi-arabia-announces-full-operational-readiness-as-millions-begin-hajj-pilgrimage\/","title":{"rendered":"Saudi Arabia Announces Full Operational Readiness as Millions Begin Hajj Pilgrimage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Saudi Arabia Announces Full Operational Readiness as Millions Begin Hajj Pilgrimage<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Muslim worshippers gather for prayers at the Grand Mosque complex in the holy city of Mecca on June 2, 2025 ahead of the annual Haj pilgrimage. \u2014 AFP pic<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>MECCA, June 3 \u2014<\/strong> The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has formally declared its operational preparedness for the annual <strong>Hajj pilgrimage<\/strong>, welcoming millions of Muslims from across the globe with enhanced infrastructure and services designed to ensure safety, efficiency, and spiritual fulfilment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At a press briefing in Mecca on Monday, <strong>Saleh Ibrahim Al-Zuwaid<\/strong>, official spokesperson for the Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services, said <strong>more than 45,000 personnel<\/strong> have been mobilised across the kingdom\u2019s transport and logistics network. These teams are working around the clock to ensure the smooth movement of pilgrims throughout the sacred journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cOur goal is to provide pilgrims with the highest standards of service. We call on all Hujjaj to follow official guidelines to ensure a safe and seamless pilgrimage for everyone,\u201d Al-Zuwaid said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Highlights for Hajj 2025<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Haramain High-Speed Railway Expansion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Haramain High-Speed Railway<\/strong> has scheduled <strong>4,700 trips<\/strong> to support the Hajj period.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The network aims to <strong>transport up to 2 million passengers<\/strong>, with an increase of <strong>400,000 seats<\/strong> from last year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. \u201cNo-Baggage Hajj\u201d System<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pilgrims arriving at <strong>King Abdulaziz International Airport<\/strong> in Jeddah can now travel directly to Makkah via train, while their luggage is <strong>delivered separately<\/strong> to their accommodation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This initiative reduces congestion and streamlines arrivals at key checkpoints.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Operational and Logistical Strategy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Saudi authorities confirmed the full rollout of <strong>Phase Two<\/strong> of Hajj operations, supported by specialised technical and logistics teams.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Efforts are being scaled during <strong>Eid al-Adha<\/strong>, traditionally the peak period of Hajj rituals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cOur multi-entry point coordination is helping to create a smooth and dignified experience for all pilgrims,\u201d added Al-Zuwaid.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Technological and Digital Enhancements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Saad Saleem Al-Shanbari<\/strong>, spokesperson for the Communications and Technology Ecosystem \u2014 Hajj Season, highlighted notable improvements in digital connectivity across the holy sites:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>4G and 5G coverage<\/strong> has exceeded expectations in <strong>Makkah, Madinah, and surrounding areas<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Internet speeds reached <strong>264 Mbps in Makkah<\/strong> and <strong>336 Mbps in Madinah<\/strong>, facilitating easy access to navigation tools, communication platforms, and Hajj-related updates.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advanced Technologies Supporting Pilgrims<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Saudi Arabia has introduced <strong>29 innovative technologies<\/strong>, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>AI-driven crowd management<\/strong>,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Advanced CCTV monitoring<\/strong>,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Secure communication tools<\/strong>, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Health monitoring systems<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These technologies are being used in partnership with public safety and health authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>13 of the 29<\/strong> technologies have been successfully trialled in previous Hajj seasons and are now being expanded for wider use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Combating Heat and Enhancing Comfort<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To counter the region\u2019s extreme heat, Saudi authorities have activated <strong>road-cooling technology<\/strong> on key pedestrian routes. Preliminary data shows these cooled pathways <strong>significantly lower surface temperatures<\/strong>, improving comfort and safety for pilgrims during the long walking rituals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>MMNN Comment<\/strong>:<br>These coordinated efforts reflect Saudi Arabia\u2019s continued commitment to facilitating a secure, technologically advanced, and spiritually enriching Hajj experience \u2014 particularly significant as global pilgrim numbers return to pre-pandemic levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pilgrims from Myanmar and Southeast Asia are encouraged to stay updated with the latest official guidance, especially regarding digital services, logistics procedures, and health protocols throughout the Hajj season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2014 MMNN News Desk<\/strong><br>(<em>Source: Bernama \/ Saudi Press Releases<\/em>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Saudi Arabia Announces Full Operational Readiness as Millions Begin Hajj Pilgrimage Muslim worshippers gather for prayers at the Grand Mosque complex in the holy city of Mecca on June 2, 2025 ahead of the annual Haj pilgrimage. \u2014 AFP pic MECCA, June 3 \u2014 The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has formally declared its operational preparedness [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1011,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,2,10],"tags":[40],"class_list":["post-1010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-international-news","category-news","tag-hajj"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1010","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1010"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1010\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1012,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1010\/revisions\/1012"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1010"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1010"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myanmarmuslim.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1010"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}