49000 Pilgrims Booked Low Cost Hajj

 A total of 49,000 pilgrims, both Saudis and expatriates, will benefit from the low-cost Hajj package through 76 companies and agencies this year.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on Thursday opened the application process for the pilgrimage under this category. Registration for the same needs to be done electronically and the process is open 24 hours daily. Those who want to benefit from the program will have to provide the required information and mobile phone number. The ministry said the number of Hajj companies exceeds 200, of which 76 are executing the low-cost Hajj program. Complaints can be registered through the ministry’s communication centers.

Meanwhile, the authorities have installed 8,500 new air-coolers equipped with the latest technology in Mina tents. An Australian company has completed the installation and will examine the coolers’ performance before the pilgrims start arriving in the city of tents. The coolers will consume 55 percent less electric city, less water and emit fresh air with strong and speedy fans. They would bring down the inside temperature to 21°C and will not contribute to increasing the outside temperature. They might help control the spread of infections and diseases. Last year, there was 33°C heat inside the tents as the old coolers were not efficient.

More than 75,000 domestic pilgrims have so far registered with local Haj companies through the electronic gate of the Ministry of Haj and Umrah to perform Haj this year, a ministry’s source said.

He said domestic pilgrims have registered with about 200 licensed local Haj companies.

Registration through the portal, which was scheduled to start on Thursday, was interrupted for two days because of the large number of people browsing the site at the same time.

Since the restoration of service, more than 700,000 people have visited the site to get acquainted with the services to be provided by local companies.

According to the source, the rates range from SR3,015 to SR11,905 depending on the services.

Ministry’s undersecretary Hussain Al-Sharif warned citizens and expatriates wishing to perform Haj against paying any additional charges other than what has been specified on the website.

“All the procedures, including the printing of Haj permits, are automatically done through the website,” he said.

Meanwhile, a total of 154 companies have started their arrangements to provide food for pilgrims.

Mohammed Al-Qurashi, member of the Haj Committee at the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the companies make an annual profit of more than SR300 million by providing food to the guests of Allah.

He said that the companies have signed catering contracts with Haj missions of various countries and domestic Haj operators.

The Private Establishment for Guides in Madinah has prepared 56 facilities to serve pilgrims. The facilities include 17 field service offices, 16 supporting offices, 12 departments, eight committees and three reception centers.