Mina Locator Useful App for Pilgrims

Mina Locator is a very useful App for pilgrims and Pakistan Hajj Volunteers Group (PHVG) field staff. Through this App you can identify the route to different Camps (Maktabs), Train Stations, Mosques, Hospitals, PHVG Posts and other important locations in Mina with the reference of your current location.

Prerequisite:

The device must be equipped with below services to run Mina Locator App.

1. Google Play Services

2. Google Maps

3. GPS

Every year a number of pilgrims face problems in locating their tents and places of accommodation in Makkah, and at the holy sites of Mina and Arafat. 

To solve this problem, the Pakistan Haj Volunteer Group (PHVG) and the India Fraternity Forum developed a navigation app which will work from Dul Haj 7, when authorities start numbering the tents. 

Waseem Bukhari, media spokesperson from PHVG, told Arab News that they are going to use this Mina tent location app, which Muhammad Shahid Farooq, a PHVG volunteer, developed to assist pilgrims of every nationality while they stay in Mina. He said majority of the pilgrims who come to perform Haj are elderly and feeble. Most of the pilgrims lose track of their groups and spend several hours searching for their tent.

Communication becomes difficult when they don’t know the language, and identical tents make it even more difficult for them to reach their camps or destination.

He explained that with the help of technology such problems can be easily solved, and understanding the importance of this issue, PHVG launched its mobile application called “Mina Locator,” which is a very useful app for pilgrims.

He said the PHVG field staff, with this app, could easily identify the route to different camps (Maktabs), train stations, mosques, hospitals, PHVG posts and other important locations in Mina with the reference of their current location using an Android smartphone. 

If pilgrims need further assistance like a wheel chair or in-person guidance, they can navigate to the nearest PHVG volunteer location in Mina.

“We will have all the building locations by this coming Friday, and as soon as the Haj mission offices are allocated and tents are given numbers, we will update our apps. We are working in close coordination with the Pakistan Haj mission and the Punjab IT board,” he said. 

He also explained that this year their target is to coordinate with all South Asian Hujaj Maktabs, pilgrims’ foundations and establishments as they already have some links and awareness about South Asian Maktabs and foundations. 

He requested Saudi authorities, or any relevant organization, to provide PHVG with the database of GPS coordinates for camps of all local and foreign pilgrims for the current year (2016) and in the future. 

He said in the coming year they are planning to launch a compatible version for iPhone users. 

India Fraternity Forum, Saudi Arabia is also introducing a Mina tent locator this year for pilgrims to navigate easily to their tents without an Internet connection through smartphones.

Click Here to Download Mina Locator App

Electronic Apps to Raise Awareness to Hajj Pilgrims

Bracing up to ensure a peaceful and smooth Haj this year, the Ministry of Health has designed several methods such as e-applications and awareness booklets to benefit pilgrims during Haj.

This is besides the regular arrangements like wearing bracelets etc. for their location and safe return.

Haj preparatory committees held their 22nd meeting in the ministry’s bureau in Riyadh, under the presidency of Hussein Al-Ghannam, chairman of the Haj preparatory committees and general supervisor of the general directorate of health services for Haj and Umrah.

The meeting was attended by the committee’s chairman and the participation of health affairs officials in Makkah and Madinah, and King Abdullah Medical City, through video communications.

The meeting discussed the health awareness plan for the coming Haj season, and the special preparations of the emergency committee during Haj, in addition to the mechanism to develop emergency work by dividing it into three operational areas: The central area, the holy sites of Arafat, Mina, and the Mozdalifa and Makkah area. The meeting discussed the contribution of the visiting work force in rare specialties in emergency, intensive care and burns.

The meeting also reviewed work flow and the completion of medical and non-medical preparations, in addition to precautions to face contagious diseases during the Haj season, especially in regards to MERS-corona virus.

Healthcare services were offered to more than 405,542 pilgrims during the last Haj season, and more than 1.3 million pilgrims were tested through its 15 health centers at its land, marine and air ports.

Last Haj season witnessed 22 open heart surgeries, 668 cardiac catheterizations, 2,213 dialysis sessions and 31 endoscopic gastrointestinal procedures, reported Aleqtesadiah.

The information-loaded to bracelets will help authorities keep track of pilgrims' movements.

Saudi Arabia introduces electronic bracelets for Hajj pilgrims as safety measure

The move comes amid security concerns and is aimed at tackling untoward incidents during the pilgrimage.

The bracelets will contain personal information such as passport numbers and addresses as well as medical information of individual Hajj pilgrims that will help authorities identify them and provide care, according to Saudi Press Agency.

The e-bracelets are water-resistant and are also connected to GPS, which will not only help authorities keep track of pilgrims' movements, but will also instruct pilgrims about the timings of prayers and other rituals at Mecca. Through the tracking device, the pilgrims will also be connected to a multi-lingual help desk that will guide non-Arabic speaking pilgrims about the various rituals scheduled at the holy Islamic event.

Local media reported that around 1,000 new CCTV cameras have also been installed at Mecca's Grand Mosque as part of security measures. The cameras, linked to control rooms, will be overseen by special forces who will keep a close watch on pilgrims' movements.

The Saudi authorities have so far spent billions of dollars to improve infrastructure and transport facilities over the years in Mecca, where every year, over three million pilgrims participate in the six-day ritual. Followers of Islam regard it is a religious obligation to take part in the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime, if health and finances permit.

Source : http://www.arabnews.com/node/958701/saudi-arabia

Electronic Apps to Raise Awareness to Hajj Pilgrims

Mobile App For Grand Mosque navigation

There are 30,000 users of the Grand Mosque navigation app Al-Maqsad, Makkah newspaper reported.

Amjad Al-Hazmy, director at the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques Projects, said that the app is designed to guide users to places inside the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

The application does not need internet connection to determine location.

“Users can easily navigate to important areas and service checkpoints in all floors of the Grand Mosque. The app was downloaded by 30,000 users on various devices including Android, iPhone and iPad,” said Al-Hazmy.

Umm Al-Qura University Businesses and Information Creativity President Nabil Kowshak said his company Wadi Makkah for Technology designed the app.

“The app aims to facilitate the navigation of users in the Grand Mosque.

The app provides information on the services offered at the ground level of the mosque. The app was developed in cooperation with the Internal Navigation Company,” said Kowshak.

CEO of the Internal Navigation Company Saleh Basalamah said the app depends on core blue low energy sensors that send signals to the mobile phone of the user to determine the user’s location.

“The app can then instruct the user by voice where to go in order to reach the desired destination. The app also provides 3D maps to help users,” said Basalamah.

He also said there are 1,500 sensors dispersed all across the first floor of the Grand Mosque.

“The company will be working on the second phase of the project soon.

The app has eight features including offline usage. The app, which is in Arabic and English, is available in iOS and Android. A tour guide of the Grand Mosque works on Bluetooth,” said Basalamah.

He said the app also provides navigation to the main roads in Makkah, the Grand Mosque and its arenas, special needs services, the gates of the Grand Mosque, bus stops and other facilities.

App that helps Grand Mosque navigation:

The General Presidency for the affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque is proud to submit an application for indoor navigation system of the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

This application is intended to help visitors to Mecca in determining their positions accurately within the corridors of the Grand Mosque and learn their way to wherever they want to go.

This application does not need internet connection to determine your location.

Tags: Al-Maqsad, Al Maqsad, Navigation, AlHaram, Al Haram, Holy Mosque, Guide, Alreasah, Makkah, 

المقصد، الحرم، المسجد الحرام، ملاحة، الكعبة، دليل، الرئاسة، الحرمين، مكة

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